Let there be blood
by LovelyxLittlexLauren
Summary: When past meets present face to face everyone's world will turn upside down. Tony/OC, McAbby, Jibbs. Rated T for now, may switch to M as chapters are added.
1. Secrets don't make friends

NCIS

Chapter 1

Secrets don't make friends

Tony woke to the sun warming his face and the even breathing of the brunette in his arms. He opened his eyes and looked at her sleeping soundly. He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Happy Birthday." He whispered softly before bringing her left hand up to his lips and kissing her knuckles.

She wrinkled her nose in her sleep at the contact making him chuckle and her emerald green eyes fluttered open. She sighed softly, content and a smile spread across her perfect lips as she looked up at him with her hand still in his.

"Good morning." She whispered her voice both soft and sweet.

Tony wrapped his arms tighter around her pulling her closer and she responded by laying her head on his chest and tracing circles with her fingertips across his skin. The smell of her hair and the way she fit perfectly in his arms made him smile and he closed his eyes to take it all in. However when he reopened them she was gone and the bed beside him was cold as stone.

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"_It's just going to be another day at work." _Tony thought to himself as he exited the elevator coffee in hand_,_ bag on his shoulder. He did not bother to even look at Kate or McGee this morning or throw them some type of a greeting as he made his way to his desk. He hoped that nobody would notice that he was uncharacteristically quiet. He was half way there when Kate piped up.

"What's the matter Tony you get up on the wrong side of someone else's bed this morning?" She wondered with a smug grin on her face.

"Mind your own business Kate." Tony retorted but this time there was no sign of a smile.

"Okay Tony what was this one's name?"

"I didn't sleep with anyone last night Kate."

"Sure you didn't." Kate said with a nod.

"He didn't Kate he was busy thinking about his former wife." Gibbs said as he came up from behind Tony taking his coffee from him as he walked by.

"A little insensitive don't you think Boss?" Tony questioned as he went the rest of the way to his desk, dropping his bag on the floor as he sat down.

"I'm not here to be sensitive DiNozzo." Gibbs said coldly as he sat down himself before sipping the stolen coffee.

"Wait, _you_ had a wife?" Kate laughed thinking to herself that this must be some type of joke. "Tell me was it your inheritance she was interested in?" Kate figured that had to be the only explanation and she was probably chased away by his playboy attitude.

"Shut up Kate." Tony muttered.

"I imagine that she must have been a dumb blonde like most of the girls you've dated-"

"DAMN IT KATE I SAID SHUT UP!" Tony bellowed as he got to his feet and slammed his fist on his desk.

Kate flinched as though he hit her instead of the desk. McGee looked up from his computer in surprise and Gibbs was just completely silent.

For a long moment Tony and Kate stared at each other. One side too angry for words, the other terrified at what might happen next.

Tony took a deep breath and grabbed his bag from the floor and made a beeline for the elevator while Kate stood there frozen and scared. She had never seen Tony so worked up and she was kicking herself for not keeping her mouth shut.

Gibbs slammed his coffee down on his desk issuing another flinch from Kate as he rose from his chair avoiding Kate's eyes on his way to the elevator catching the doors just before they closed and entering it with Tony.

McGee who had gotten to his feet to follow Gibbs stopped when he saw a tear escape the corner of Kate's eye.

"Kate."

She sniffed and brushed it away hoping that he didn't see it but at the same time knowing that he already had.

"What just happened?" She asked. She did not expect an answer and was surprised that McGee had one.

"She was murdered Kate, three years ago during an undercover. Tony was really broken up about it. She was everything he ever wanted smart, beautiful, kind, and she was Gibbs' best worker."

"She was a special agent?"

McGee sighed. "She was more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"She was Gibbs' daughter and…uh…she was my best friend."  
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Tony sat in the corner of the elevator his bag at his feet with his arms hugging his knees to his chest. He was silent and even Gibbs who was leaning against the wall after hitting the button to make the elevator stop found that unsettling.

Both men were tired from a mostly sleepless night no doubt and by the looks of it Tony did not even bother to try. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was a mess. Gibbs wondered if he even showered this morning.

The minutes ticked by slowly. Tony knew that Gibbs was not about to say anything first. He hated this considering that he found Gibbs always had the answers and wasn't giving him any when he needed them most. He cleared his throat which was scratchy and raw.

"I'm…sorry Boss." He muttered.

"Don't be."

"What?"

"You have every right to be angry, Kate was out of line." Gibbs replied. There were no words to describe how angry he was himself for the way Kate behaved but he blamed himself partially because she did not know about Brooke and partially because he didn't try to put a stop to it.

"Does it ever stop hurting Boss?" Tony stared straight ahead at his own reflection in the steel doors of the elevator. He was a mess and Brooke would hate it if she knew he was like this.

"I don't have the answer you're looking for Tony, I wish I did." Gibbs admitted. He understood Tony's pain and as much as he tried he would never completely let go of Shannon not that he ever wanted to.

"I still see her everywhere I go Boss. I see her at work, at home, in my dreams." Tony sighed. He knew that confessing this to Gibbs was not the best idea but he was the only one listening and the only one who understood.

"I see her too DiNozzo, all the time." Gibbs admitted. Almost losing his first born once was hard enough. Losing her for real years after Shannon and Kelly almost killed him. It made him feel like a failure for not protecting her better.

They were both silent again until Gibbs' phone rang in his pocket. He took it out and flipped it open.

"Gibbs."

"We've got a body." McGee responded.

"Meet us in the garage." Gibbs hung up the phone and placed it back into his pocket then punched the button starting the elevator back up.

"Dry your eyes DiNozzo, we've got a case."

"I wasn't crying." Tony said defensively.

Gibbs tried to ignore the fact that Tony quickly rubbed his eyes as the elevator took them down to the garage.

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"What was her name?" Kate asked cautiously, hoping that McGee understood her curiosity.

"Her name was Brooke, we went to MIT together…today would have been her twenty eighth birthday." McGee answered while looking down at his feet.

They were both in the elevator now on their way down to meet Gibbs and Tony. From the moment she found out about their secret Kate felt remorse. She wanted to apologize immediately to both Gibbs and Tony but how was she supposed to do that without breaking McGee's trust?

She sighed. _"This is perfect, why didn't I just shut up?" _She thought. She sighed and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Tim I shouldn't have said those things." She knew she was apologizing to the wrong person but if she was McGee's best friend then she owed it to him as well.

"Thanks Kate."

The sound of the elevator interrupted her thoughts and she and McGee stepped out into the garage. Tony was already sitting in the front seat of the van with the brim of his NCIS hat covering his eyes. The second he heard the elevator he turned away from Kate and McGee's gaze. The last place he would rather be was in the cramped space of the van next to Kate. He figured that McGee probably told her about his wife and he did not know if that made him feel any better or just worse.

Tony flinched when the door to the other side of the van opened and Kate climbed in. He felt her eyes burning a hole through the back of his head but he was reluctant to look at her let alone speak to her. She wanted to apologize but sighed and gave up, looking straight through the windshield instead waiting for Gibbs to just hurry up and get in.

She got her wish when McGee slid in next to her followed by Gibbs who slammed the door closed a little harder than necessary.

He started the engine in silence and that was the only sound other than the four of them breathing for the entire trip.

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By the time Gibbs cut the engine of the NCIS van Tony was already halfway out determined to get the job done and get back to his desk where he could be by himself with his thoughts but it was never that easy.

Kate climbed out after him but stayed by the front of the van while he went toward the back for the bags. She realized that she had been staring straight out of the windshield the entire ride but had not bothered to take notice that they were in the woods until now. She turned to look at Tony but he had already disappeared into a clearing. McGee looked at Kate with sympathetic eyes and shrugged.

"It'll be fine just, give him some space." He assured her.

"Thanks Tim." Kate nodded.

"Hey, will you two quit socializing and get to work?!" Gibbs barked as he closed the driver's door, again with extra force.

"It might be best to stay out of his way too." McGee added, his eyebrows disappearing beneath his hat.

"MCGEE!"

"I'm on my way boss!" Dutifully McGee left Kate and jogged after Gibbs.

"Good idea." Kate said to herself in response to McGee's suggestion.

She stood there for another moment expecting Gibbs to call for her too and when he didn't she took that to mean that he was giving her the silent treatment and decided that it was best for her to just wait for Ducky and Palmer to arrive on the scene.

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Tony crouched down next to the body, his camera cradled in his gloved hand. The victim who was a male did not show any obvious signs of a struggle. There were no stab wounds, signs of strangulation, or signs of suffocation that he could see. The victim was just a middle aged civilian making him wonder why NCIS was called. But why was he in the middle of the woods and how did he get here?

Tony got to his feet and snapped a picture of the man's face. He seemed familiar but Tony could not place a name to the face.

Then something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention while he was studying the guy's face searching for the name.

On the victim's right hand was a platinum ring that looked a lot like something from the Godfather.

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"Was anybody with you when you discovered the body?"

The woman that Gibbs and McGee were questioning stood beside her husband shaking in terror while her father stood on her other side. Gibbs looked at the three of them and felt a sharp sense of longing in the pit of his stomach.

The woman was not a day over twenty five. She was tall with blue eyes and thick blonde hair tied back into a messy bun on top of her head. She was dressed in a pair of spandex Capri pants and a Nike tank top. One of her running sneakers, Gibbs noticed, was untied which caused him to believe that she tripped and that's how she found the body.

"No." She whispered.

"Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?" McGee asked, following Gibbs' first question.

"You mean other than a dead body in the middle of the woods?" The older man asked placing a hand on his distraught daughter's shoulder.

"Sir, we understand-"

"Boss, you'd better come and take a look at this!" McGee was cut off by the frantic voice of Tony who by the sounds of it found a piece of evidence that might link them to the murderer.

"Stay with them." Gibbs ordered as he turned in the other direction in a dead run. He knew the difference between DiNozzo's tone when he found exciting evidence and terrifying evidence. This was the latter.

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"_It can't be."_ Tony thought. He had taken the ring off of the victim's finger to get a closer look and what he found engraved on the inside was disturbing in a number of ways.

There was no way that this could be for real. Just the sight of the words made him nauseous.

He looked up when he heard Gibbs' heavy footfalls and got to his feet.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked irritated that Tony interrupted his questioning for a ring of all things.

Tony looked up at him and shook his head. "You're never going to believe this Boss."

"What is it DiNozzo!?" Gibbs asked again this time he was showing his impatience.

Tony was silent for another moment staring at the piece of jewelry in his hand.

"Tony, got something you want to share with the class?" Gibbs asked sarcastically.

Tony said nothing but handed the ring to Gibbs.

Gibbs snatched it from him and looked down at the words written on the inside. He fell silent and stared the way Tony had at not only what was written but the way it was written. He turned it over in his hands shaking his head in disbelief.

Tony wanted to ask if Gibbs was alright but he knew better and feeling as horrible as he did with the discovery he was sure he could guess that Gibbs was far from being okay. "Boss, do you think it's really him?" Tony wondered cautiously.

"If it is it's not like she can tell us DiNozzo." Gibbs growled and Tony looked at his feet.

Gibbs sighed and took an evidence bag from his pocket and slipped the ring inside. After doing so he put the bag in his pocket, a thousand emotions that he did not even think existed until now crashed into him like a tidal wave.

"Boss?" Tony asked confused.

Gibbs cleared his throat trying to rid the lump that formed. "Get McGee to escort the witness back to NCIS. You and I are going back together we need to talk to Abby. Keep quiet about this until we get there."

"But shouldn't-"

"NOW DINOZZO!" Gibbs hollered.

Tony said nothing more and ran off.

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_Wedding of Brooke and Tony; Gibbs' memory_

_She smiled as her father entered the room lighting up at the sight of his only daughter, only child who was dressed in her white custom made Vera Wang gown. Her long wavy brown hair was pinned in a complicated half up style. Her green eyes were shining with both excitement and nerves. Her bridesmaids were pinning her veil to her hair as she noticed him standing in the doorway from the reflection in the floor length mirror. She turned around when the girls in their dark purple dresses finished their task._

_Gibbs was blown away at how much and how quickly his daughter had grown. He watched her take a deep breath and look at the three young women around her._

_"Do you mind giving me a few minutes alone with my father?" She asked them in her soft tone._

_The girls obliged and picked up their white bouquets from the small table near the door as they walked past Gibbs on their way out. The last girl to leave closed the door behind her leaving the room silent in her wake._

_"How is he?" She wondered shaking as she asked. She drew in a sharp breath. She secretly asked him to spy knowing he would be in there anyway to threaten his life if he ever hurt his little girl._

_"Wondering the same thing you are." Gibbs replied. He saw that it relaxed her just a bit knowing that she was not the only one who was nervous._

_"Are you sure this is what you want?" Gibbs asked. He had taken to asking her this question often as of late. Making sure that the dress was exactly what she wanted as well as the shoes, the cake, the flowers, the bridesmaids' dresses and the location of the wedding, honeymoon, and everything else in between. But now he was asking her about the wedding itself and most importantly the guy._

_"It's more than what I want." She replied with a slight nod._

_"I'm so proud of you Brooke." Gibbs said. He let a small tear escape as he kissed her on the cheek._

_"I'm proud of you too Dad, mostly for not killing Tony when you found out we were engaged." She said with a giggle as her own eyes welled up after noticing that her father was already crying._

_"Don't do that," He said softly. "You'll ruin your makeup." He took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the corners of her eyes._

_"Thank you." She laughed. She took the cloth from him and dried his eyes too. "You know that if you do that you're going to get me started."_

_"I'm sorry." Gibbs smiled._

_"Don't be." She returned the smile and wrapped her arms around his middle like she did as a child when she greeted him every night after a long day of work. "If you're worried that I am not going to need you anymore don't, I will always need you and I'll always be your little girl and you will always be my Daddy, always and forever."_


	2. The best days of before

NCIS

Chapter 2

The best days of before

"Gibbs?" Kate wandered into the clearing where the body lay. DiNozzo and McGee were elsewhere but Gibbs was standing away from the body leaning against a tree with his hand. He was hanging his head, shoulders heaving. She waited for him to show a sign that he had heard her but there was no response whatsoever. She opened her mouth to call for his attention again and he caught her off guard.

"What do you want Agent Todd?" He appeared to be rubbing his eyes but Kate could not be sure with his back to her.

"Ducky and Palmer are here."

Gibbs turned around his eyes red and watery. Kate tried to pretend that she did not notice.

"Where are they?" Gibbs was slightly frustrated that Kate had interrupted him for nothing since Ducky and Palmer were nowhere to be seen.

"They're getting the van ready." Kate answered, wringing her hands.

"Something else you want Agent Todd?"

"Gibbs…I...uh…I want to apologize for my behavior back at headquarters." She said taking a step forward.

"Do me a favor Agent Todd."

"Sure."

"Don't apologize to me," He said as he brushed past her. "It wasn't my wife you insulted."

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_Apartment of Anthony DiNozzo Junior;_

_ They sat together on the couch watching the credits roll and he looked over at her to find tears falling down her cheeks. He smiled never thinking that she would cry from watching the Titanic._

_ He sat up and leaned forward placing his glass of wine on the coffee table in front of them. She dried her eyes quickly hoping he hadn't noticed and she sipped the last of the wine that remained in her glass before setting it on the table as well._

_ "I've only ever seen you do that twice." He chuckled while settling back against the couch and pulling her into his arms. The first time was after she almost died on her first case the second was when Gibbs was in the hospital._

_ "What can I say? I guess it's just easy for me to let my guard down when we're alone together." She smiled sweetly hugging him closely._

_ Tony smiled and grabbed the remote. He turned off the TV leaving the room to only be lit by the candles in the room. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. He never felt the way he did now with another woman before._

_ "I love you." He whispered meaningfully._

_ She smiled and he noticed fresh tears escape her eyes. "I love you too." She smiled then kissed him softly._

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He would give anything to hear her say that again for real instead of having to recall a memory that stabbed him in the heart each time he thought of it. Every memory he had of her brought both a smile to his face and tears to his eyes.

He would never forget the way she laughed and how her eyes would light up whenever she talked about her job, her father, her friends, and even himself. There were nights when he couldn't sleep because she was all he could think about.

She used to never be able to sleep unless he was there with her and now he knew how that felt in the worst way. He remembered how she would only wear his shirts to bed if anything at all and the way she smiled every time she saw him.

He also loved the way that she preferred the elevator over the closet for a place to steal a kiss before Gibbs or anyone else knew they were so in love.

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_NCIS Headquarters; Squad room_

_ "Does personal space mean anything to you DiNozzo?" He couldn't help but smile from where he stood behind her their bodies an inch from touching._

_ "Not when you smell like that." She looked over her shoulder glaring at him and he smirked. "You really are Gibbs' daughter." He chuckled._

_ "That's exactly why you should shut up and step back considering the fact that he could catch us any second." She laughed._

_ Tony smirked as he noticed a little glimmer of lust in her eyes. "Is that really what you want?" He asked softly in her ear. He took a step closer as if there was even that much space left. He smiled knowing he was pushing his limits and he pressed his lips to her cheek._

_ "You must have a death wish." The brunette laughed. She looked around to make sure no one on the floor was paying attention and she nodded in the direction of the elevator with a wink._

_ Tony raised an eyebrow in curiosity and followed her as she started to walk toward the doors. She had pushed the button just as he caught up to her and the doors opened. He smirked as they stepped in together and she closed the doors._

_ "Am I in trouble?" He asked with a boyish grin as she punched the emergency stop._

_ "You will be if you don't kiss me."_

_ Tony smiled wondering how she knew that was exactly what he wanted to hear. He took a step closer to her and pulled her into his arms kissing her passionately._

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Tony sighed while he waited for Gibbs to return to the van. He leaned on the tailgate of the car that Ducky and Palmer arrived in knowing that Gibbs would prefer to take it in order to get back faster.

"Get in Tony." Gibbs opened the passenger door tossing Tony the keys.

The younger man caught them in one hand and got in starting the engine immediately.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Do you think she felt it, when she was killed?" Tony wondered with caution. He was curious ever since it happened but never actually asked Gibbs what he thought.

"I hope to god she didn't just like I hope that Kelly didn't feel any pain. No parent wants their child to suffer." Gibbs answered honestly. Talking about this with Tony was easier than with anyone else since they both lost the women they love. Though he would still much rather his feelings remain quiet.

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"Tell him Dad." Gibbs looked into the sideview mirror and into the backseat at the sound of her familiar voice.

She was sitting there as if she had never been gone. She looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen her. She had her brown shoulder length hair in curls and she was wearing a dark red tailored suit.

"I can't." Gibbs whispered to the hallucination.

Tony glanced over at him confused by what he heard. "Can't what Boss?"

Gibbs looked at his son in law and shook his head. "Nothing just thinking to myself." Gibbs muttered and turned back to look at her reflection but she was gone.

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"Ah Caitlin, Gibbs said you'd be here waiting for us." Ducky placed the gurney down next to the man's body with Palmer's help.

"Hi Ducky," Kate smiled at the medical examiner. "I guess that means I'm riding back with you." Kate assumed.

"Didn't Gibbs inform you of that?" Ducky questioned as he bent down to get a look at the body.

"No, he's taken to minimizing any confrontation with me today."

"Why would he do that?" Palmer asked.

Kate sighed bending down next to Ducky. "Long story, basically I said something that offended Tony and I was informed that it involved Gibbs."

Ducky looked up at Kate and sighed. "My goodness, in my haste to get here I almost forgot what day it was."

Palmer looked confused. "It's Tuesday Doctor."

"Yes I'm well aware of what day of the week this is Mr. Palmer what I meant was the date." Ducky replied quietly.

"I'm sorry Doctor." Palmer said quickly.

"That's quite alright, my boy." Ducky answered. "You see today marks the anniversary of a terribly traumatic day for both Gibbs and our young DiNozzo so it is understandable if their moods are a bit more dramatic than usual." Ducky explained to them both.

"You knew her too?" Kate asked.

"Oh yes of course, she was the most talented agent to ever work for NCIS." Ducky replied with a smile.

Palmer was becoming more confused by the second. "Who are you talking about Doctor?"

"I am referring, Mr. Palmer, to Gibbs' daughter who was also Anthony's wife."

"I had no idea that either of them had such relations." Palmer said with surprise.

"It appears that Miss Caitlin had no idea either." Ducky looked back at Kate and smiled sympathetically.

"What was she like?" Kate wondered out loud.

"She was an extraordinary young woman. She was intelligent, kind, funny. She gave Tony a run for his money that's for sure. She was also tolerant and strong, cared more about other people than she ever did herself. She was beautiful and a wonderful friend to all who knew her and she was very protective of Gibbs. She didn't take kindly to him marrying three times. You sometimes forgot which one was the parent and which one was the child."

When Ducky was through with his description Kate noticed the glimmer of tears in the man's eyes as he started examining the body.

"How was she killed?" Kate asked. She did not want to remind Ducky of the loss that was obviously as painful for him as it was for Tony and Gibbs but she could not help but be curious.

"I don't think I've said anything about the manner in which she passed." Ducky looked at Kate suspiciously.

"McGee told me." Kate informed him.

"I see," Ducky paused. "I'm not sure that I should be the one to tell you Caitlin. What happened was a tragedy and I do not feel comfortable betraying the trust that Gibbs and Anthony have in me."

"I understand Ducky." Kate gave him a friendly nod and she let him get back to work.

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McGee stood at the window of the conference room looking down at the Navy yard below. He sighed as thoughts of her clouded his mind. She was the only one including Sarah who understood him completely. He loved her and missed her every day.

The day she died a part of him went with her but he would never tell Abby, Tony, or even Gibbs that. Only she knew how much she really meant to him. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face as he let the memory of her take over while he waited for the team.

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_She stood in the center of the apartment wailing on a speed bag with her hair tied back in a ponytail. She was drenched in sweat and clearly pissed at something._

_ McGee didn't know what to say when he saw her like this upon entering their apartment. He had only seen her so angry once or twice and it was usually aimed at Gibbs but this time seemed different. Like it was someone else she was pissed at._

_ "Do I want to ask what's going on with you?" McGee asked cautiously as he moved to sit on the couch._

_ Brooke paused in the middle of beating the bag and glared at him. She only growled and tore off the gloves she was wearing and threw them on the floor on the way to the fridge where she grabbed a bottle of water._

_ "What happened?" He got to his feet and strolled toward her shoving his hands in his pockets fearing that maybe she was mad at him._

_ She had her back to him and after sighing she turned around and slammed the unopened water bottle down on the counter. _

_ "She left, just like the other two why do they always leave?" Brooke hissed angrily. McGee sighed having realized that she was talking about her third stepmother._

_ "I don't know Brooke, I honestly don't know." McGee sighed wishing there was something he could do for her._

_ "I didn't like her as much as Stephanie but I was starting to." She bit her lip and took a sharp breath. All I want is for my Dad to be happy. I would give anything to have my Mom and Kelly back."_

_ McGee placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she immediately crumbled letting him hug her while she started to cry. "It's okay, I know it still hurts."_

_ "I didn't even get to say goodbye to them." She sobbed. She hated that the anniversary of their deaths always came so quickly._

_ "You were in a coma Brooke there was nothing you could do. They know you loved them." He reassured her softly._

_ "I should have died with them." She whimpered. _

_ McGee pulled back a bit and held her at arm's length. He took his shirt sleeve and gently wiped away her tears. "Don't say things like that. If you died we never would have met and I wouldn't have a best friend."_

_ Brooke smiled weakly and shrugged with his words. "I didn't think of it like that." She dried the rest of her tears with the back of her hand and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "You always know what to say."_

_ "That's because I love you."_

_ "I love you too Timmy."_


	3. Give me strength to breathe

NCIS

Chapter three

Give me strength to breathe

"DiNozzo go tell McGee to release the witness to the custody of her family. I need to go down to Abby." Gibbs instructed the senior agent as they stepped into the elevator together.

Tony paused after pushing the button to their office level. "I thought you wanted to question the witness Boss."

"Maybe I changed my mind," Gibbs barked. "Do you have a problem with that?!"

"No Boss not at all. It's your decision." Tony answered.

"You're damn right it is." Gibbs grumbled.

Tony waited for the elevator to stop and for Gibbs to get off on Abby's floor. Gibbs said nothing as he exited the elevator and marched toward the lab doors. When the doors to the elevator closed he completely lost it.

He started punching the metal until his knuckles bled and his adrenaline was pumping. His eyes were full of tears and his heart broken. She was all he had and that's what he remembered her as. What he hated most was that what Kate said earlier was true.

He did date girls who cared more about what he looked like and fell for the stupid things that he said. She was right in saying that he was a juvenile, immature, frat boy all the time. But what really broke his heart was the fact that he dated these women and fed them lines because he thought that it would help him forget. He needed it to help him forget but it only made him think of her more and the fact that Gibbs let him do that because he felt it was what Tony needed too was slowly killing him.

They both knew that he was not this guy, this serial dater before this happened. He was not even this guy before she was in his life. He used to know who he was and now he was not so sure.

He stopped when his knuckles started to swell and he could no longer feel his fingers at all. He backed away from the doors toward the wall in the back and fell to the floor where he hugged his knees to his chest and buried his face in the folds of his jacket sleeves to quiet his sobs even though nobody could hear him.

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"Abby." Gibbs put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. The forensic scientist took off her headphones and draped them around her neck.

"Sorry Gibbs, I just thought I'd keep it quiet in here today out of respect, I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon." She said in a melancholy tone.

"What are you listening to?" Gibbs asked standing behind her and looking at her computer screen.

"Nothing." She answered too quickly and minimized her iTunes window.

Gibbs was quicker and yanked out the cord that connected the headphones to the computer and was haunted by a familiar singing voice which filled the room.

"I thought we agreed that you weren't going to listen to her anymore, Abby." The irritation in his voice made Abby squirm.

"No Gibbs you agreed that I wouldn't I never actually said anything." Abby bit back and for now Gibbs let her. He knew that it was Abby's personal tradition since Brooke died to listen to her music on the anniversary of her death and also her birthday.

"What can I do for you?" Abby asked renewing her smile.

"I need you to fingerprint this ring for me." From his pocket Gibbs extracted the ring which he bagged and tagged on his way from the clearing to the car earlier.

Abby took the evidence bag from his hands and looked through the plastic at the ring. She grabbed a pair of gloves and put them on then took out the piece of jewelry.

"Looks like it came right out of The Godfather," She turned it over in her hands and noticed the engraving. "No." She whispered looking back at Gibbs.

"Yeah, I know." Gibbs answered back. "Get me those fingerprints."

"No Caf-Pow?" Abby looked at him with a somewhat disappointed tone of eyes.

Not until I get those damn fingerprints." Gibbs growled and turned away from Abby.

She watched him leave and waited until she heard the elevator doors close before she went through the doors to the other section of the lab where her desk was.

"You can come out now, he's gone."

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_MIT Early May Senior year; Two weeks to graduation_

_"Do you think you'll have enough time to write, special agents don't exactly have a whole lot of spare time. I mean my Dad is building a boat because his three ex wives are gone for the anyway he usually works on it late at night sometimes all night in order to get it finished which goes to show that he doesn't have much time on his hands."_

_He chuckled at all she had to say. "What are you nervous about this time?"_

_"What, who said anything about being nervous?" She asked defensively before taking a sip of her chardonnay._

_"Brooke we've known each other since eighth grade, been best friends since high school, and live together in the same apartment," He smiled. "You tend to ramble when you are nervous about something." He pointed out._

_She sighed and put her glass down on the table of the Italian bistro just off campus which they were occupying. "Nothing gets by you Timmy."_

_"Enlighten me on your situation." He replied sipping his own wine._

_"We graduate in less than two weeks and I have yet to come up with a meaningful piece that is to be considered a valedictory address." She said breathlessly._

_"That is something I have a difficult time believing, you are an excellent writer, almost as good as me." McGee joked and added a wink._

_"You're twice the writer I will ever be." She complimented him with a warm smile._

_"I don't know if that's true but even if it is that doesn't mean you can't write a speech that will blow everyone away."_

_"That right there is why I love you so much Timothy McGee, you always know exactly what to say." She smiled at him and covered his hand with hers._

_"Not always Brooke, in fact hardly ever but I do try."_

_"Trying can lead to greatness."_

_McGee smiled. "I think you just found your opening statement Miss Valedictorian."_

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

McGee sighed softly while still standing by the window in the conference room. The woman who found the body sat at the table with her husband and father causing McGee to think about how Tony and Gibbs must feel when they see families like this, especially with the date being the reminder of the worst day of their lives and his.

"McGee!" The four in the room snapped their heads up when Tony entered the room each of them staring at the sight of his unprofessional appearance. His eyes were red and glazed over, his jacket was slung over his arm and his shirt sleeves were rolled up revealing bloody knuckles and scratches.

"They're free to go." He snapped at McGee and avoided looking at the family at any cost.

"What do you mean, Gibbs-"

"-Told me to send them home." Tony said cutting him off.

The two men rose but the young woman remained seated staring at the table.

"Brooke, are you coming?" Tony felt as though he had been shot through the heart at the sound of the name belonging to his wife. He looked at the woman then at her husband who walked back to her and put a hand on her shoulder, something he would have done to his Brooke if she was as scared as this girl seemed to be.

"You might want to call your Boss down here Agent DiNozzo, because I have something I need to tell him."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Once Ducky and Palmer got the body into autopsy Kate left them to do their work. She wanted answers to her multiplying questions but after the way that Ducky reacted in the clearing she decided it'd be best to answer them elsewhere in her own way.

She left autopsy and waited for the doors of the elevator to open and once they did she wished she had thought to take the stairs. Tony was in the elevator again sitting on the floor. He had one leg stretched out in front of him and rested his arm on the other. He was looking at a picture in his hands.

"Tony." He looked up at the sound of her voice and nodded once at her.

"Hey." He muttered groggily.

"I'll just take the stairs." She turned to walk away but he stopped her without moving.

"It is fine Kate, you can ride with me." He mumbled quietly.

Kate turned back and hesitated for a moment before entering the elevator and sitting beside him. "Tony I'm-"

"Here," Tony passed the picture he was staring at to Kate. "Those are my girls."

For a moment Kate looked confused when he pluralized the word but when she looked at the picture of a green eyed brunette holding a redheaded two year old with her eyes and his smile she realized that he didn't just lose a wife but a daughter as well.

She looked over at him and handed the picture back. "Tony, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, I forgive you. I mean being how I am now towards women I'm not surprised that you thought it was all a joke." Tony replied wearily as he tucked the picture into the breast pocket of his shirt.

Kate sighed softly not knowing what to say but she was curious. "What was your daughter's name?"

"Shannon, we named her after Brooke's Mom, Gibbs' first wife." Tony answered as he looked at her.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to but….how did they die?" Kate hoped that he didn't think she was prying.

Tony took a deep breath and didn't answer right away. After a minute during which Kate didn't think he was going to answer he finally did.

"Brooke started getting distracted at work. I tried to get it out of her but she just wouldn't tell me what was going on. She wouldn't even tell Gibbs or Tim." Tony explained softly.

"She was working a private job." Kate assumed.

Tony nodded looking at his hands. He still wore the ring but since she died it was on his right hand instead of the left. "She had been working an undercover for Jenny."

"Was her cover blown?" Kate wondered cautiously. She was afraid of setting him off again but her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Yeah, at least that's what Jenny told me. Brooke went in alone and she died alone. I should have been there to save her, it should have been me."

Kate sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Sometimes things happen that are out of our control."

Tony looked back at her and she couldn't help but notice the tears in his eyes. "Yeah I know, but that doesn't make the pain go away." He sighed heavily and looked back at his hands.

"What about Shannon?" Kate asked softly.

"Shannon was killed in a car accident, it was my fault. Don't try to tell me it wasn't. It was just after we got home from Brooke's funeral. I was inside with the family and she was outside. I had no idea. She must have slipped out or something. I didn't notice until I heard the tires…there was so much blood for such a little girl." He whispered the last of the explanation and Kate felt a tear of her own fall down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Tony." Kate muttered. She didn't know what else to say and seeing this side of Tony made her realize that her impression of him was a little off.

"Brooke loved the job but she got in over her head. Shannon had her whole life ahead of her. I hate myself for not being able to protect my girls. I failed them. "

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

There was nothing left for him to do but wait at his desk and play it back in his head until Abby called him down for the results. He was so deep in thought staring at her picture that he did not hear the elevator or see the two agents approach his desk.

"Boss." He looked up when Tony address him and he ignored Kate upon seeing her standing there as well. He saw the weariness in Tony's eyes and sighed. He wished he could tell Tony what she wanted him to know.

"Yeah, what is it DiNozzo." He asked simply.

"Witness wants to see you, says she's got something to tell you." Tony mumbled.

"Is McGee still with her?"

"Yeah."

"Right," Gibbs got up and started toward the stairs up to the conference room. "Hey, come on!" He nodded at Tony who glanced at Kate quickly before striding up the stairs after Gibbs.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"I don't know that I can do this Abby." She said quietly pacing around the lab.

"Of course you can, if anyone can do this it's you." The gothic woman reassured her.

The brunette shook her head. "What am I supposed to say to them, they are not going to understand what happened." She started tapping the pencil in her hand against the palm of her other rapidly.

"You aren't going to know that for sure if you don't try and explain it to them." Abby told her.

"This whole situation is just completely insane." She sighed heavily. "Do you think they suspect anything?" She wondered.

"Well we already know that they found it and I am willing to bet that it was read by at least one of them. But if you're asking me if I think they know who he is and where you've been I'd have to say no but if you don't come forward soon they are going to figure out what really went down." Abby explained.

Her companion nodded. "I was afraid you would say that."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." Abby got up from her chair and walked over to her long time friend and hugged her tightly. "Everything will be alright if you want me to I will be there when you tell them." She offered.

"Thank you Abby, I love you for that but I think this is one of those things I have to do on my own."

"I understand that." Abby said still hugging her. "I missed you so much you know that?"

The girl could feel Abby's tears on the side of her face as well as her own.

"I missed you like crazy too Abs." They both laughed and pulled away to look at each other.

"You're back for good right?" Abby had to ask even though she knew the answer.

"If this is as real as I think it is then I'm not going anywhere."

Abby laughed. "Now that is what I like to hear."

The girl with her smiled. "Do you think I could use your cell, I need to make a call."


	4. My Girl

NCIS

Chapter 4

My Girl

"I understand, yes. Thank you." She hung up the phone and tossed it gently back to Abby from where she was seated at the desk.

"What was all that about?" Abby wondered her eyebrows rising.

"That was Agent Fornell, in order for me to be completely and officially out of the program I have to identify the body in his presence."

Abby grumbled. "I think that's ridiculous, you saw this guy die."

"That makes two of us. I only hope that Fornell doesn't stop by to see anybody on his way down here." She shuddered at the thought of the agent revealing her secret before she had the chance to.

"I don't think he will until you identify this guy Fornell will be causing trouble for himself if he blabs to anyone."

The brunette relaxed at Abby's words. "Yeah I guess you're right, if there is one thing Fornell is good at it is saving his own ass from getting into trouble but I also have to admit that he has gone to extra lengths to make sure I'm safe."

Abby smiled. "That's because he knows how much you mean to Gibbs."

She half smiled and looked down at her hands. "How are they?" She asked looking back up.

"Do you want the truth or the sugar coating?" Abby asked.

The green eyed twenty eight year old knew her answer without having to think about it. She was strong enough to hear it. "I want the truth." She nodded.

Abby sighed she knew that it was going to hurt but her friend asked for the truth and she was not about to lie to her to make her feel better she was not that person.

"Gibbs still feels like he failed, he will never admit that but I can see it every time I look in his eyes or catch him looking at your picture. It's the same way he has always felt about your mom and Kelly. We all know it was not his fault and he knows it too but that doesn't mean the guilt ever goes away." Abby told her sadly.

"What about Tim?"

"McGee is lonely despite all of the company we offer him. There are times when I see him struggling to keep his sanity and I do my best to keep his mind from wandering off into the memories he has of you but sometimes it just isn't enough. He's always going to see you as his second sister." Abby sighed.

She nodded at the reply and took a deep breath. "How is Tony?"

"Tony's love for you hasn't altered in any way but he flirts but he is still broken and staggering. It does get better though. All three of them watch out for each other and they keep each other sane. They don't talk about it, they won't but they take care of themselves by focusing on each other."

By the end of Abby's explanation both women's eyes began swimming with tears. She found comfort in the fact that they were all being taken care of by Abby who she trusted more than anyone and that they were also taking care of each other.

"I hate that they are still heartbroken but I'm grateful that you're looking out for them, there is no one I trust more for that job than you and of course Ducky." She told Abby.

"Ducky and I are just doing what we do best." Abby said with a smile.

The young woman laughed and got to her feet. Abby knew it was coming and opened her arms.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"DiNozzo, McGee see where Ducky is at with the autopsy." Gibbs ordered the two agents as he entered the conference room. Without question they left him to start speaking with the witness closing the door on their way out.

"If you don't mind gentlemen I am going to have to ask you to wait outside while I conduct this interview." Gibbs was actually calm and kind in his request but he did not look at either of the men sitting beside the witness when he made it. Instead he looked at her.

"How long is this going to take Special Agent Gibbs?" The younger of the two men wondered a slight detection of irritability in his tone.

"Longer than it needs to if you don't let me do my job." Gibbs answered sternly yet quietly.

The younger man was about to tell Gibbs off or at least it looked that way but the elder man stopped him.

"That's not a problem Agent Gibbs we'll leave you to do what you need to do." He looked at his son in law in a way that almost matched the one that Gibbs gave Tony on occasion and they both got to their feet and exited the room together.

"Can I get you anything, water, a cup of coffee?" He asked her gently.

She shook her head keeping her eyes on the table. "No thanks, I'm fine."

"What's your name?"

She looked up at him finally and relaxed in her seat. "Brooke." She smiled weakly and Gibbs followed the gesture.

"That's my daughter's name too." He told her to make her more comfortable. He didn't have the heart to utter the word 'was'.

"How old is she?" She asked casually.

Gibbs smiled. "She turns twenty eight today, how old are you?"

"I'm twenty six." She responded.

Gibbs gave a small grin. "I'd like for you to tell me what you saw out there today."

She knew he was going to ask. She sighed and folded her hands on the table.

"I was taking a hike in the woods not far from where I live, it's what I always do on my days off this time was different."

"How was it different?"

"I saw that guy on the trail. He had a gun and I think he was looking for someone, he had it raised like he was ready to shoot you know? I didn't want to startle him so I hid because I wanted to see what was going on. That's when I saw her."

"What did she look like, did you get her name?" Gibbs asked carefully.

The girl named Brooke shook her head. "I didn't see her face but she had brown hair and she was wearing a purple shirt and jeans and she had this incredible wedding ring. I didn't get her name."

"What else did you see?"

"I think the guy was looking for her. She was hiding from him so maybe he found her in the park but she managed to get away. I don't know what happened before I got there. Anyway he didn't get a chance to find her. He had a heart attack or something."

"Then what happened?"

"That's when it got weird, well weirder. She waited until he was down and went to check his pulse. She took the gun then left. I tried to see her face but she was gone before I had the chance."

Gibbs stood up and walked over to the door which he opened for her. "Thank you for your cooperation, you're free to go home now."

The girl got to her feet. "Don't you need my information in case you have any more questions?"

"I think I have what I need but thank you for asking."

The twenty six year old smiled at him innocently and she left the room Gibbs stayed behind and closed the door.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

_"Brooke." He brushed the hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He took the black square frame glasses which had slid off her face and placed them on the nightstand along with a book that was lying open across her chest. _

_She was still wearing her clothes from the day before and he took that to mean that she never intended to fall asleep. Beside her she had a pen and a notebook that appeared to have a variety of quotes that were either crossed out or had a number of notes jotted down in the margins next to them._

_He sat at the edge of the bed with the Styrofoam cup in his hand. He placed his empty hand on the bed on the other side of her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. When she didn't respond he tried something else._

_"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside I've got the month of May. I guess you'd say what can make me feel this way, my girl, my girl, my girl, talking 'bout my girl." He sang to her softly to wake her, a trick he used when she often hit the snooze button on her alarm when she was a child which he later found out she did secretly so he would do the waking._

_Her eyes fluttered open as the sound of his voice woke her._

_"Dad," She sat up and flung her arms around his neck excitedly. "What are you doing here?"_

_Gibbs returned the hug then pulled back and kissed her cheek again. "Did you really think I was going to miss my little girl's graduation?" He smiled and handed her the coffee. She took it gratefully and sipped it._

_"Oh no, what time is it, I have to shower and eat something, I still have to finish my speech, and pick up my dress from the store, and pick up Tim from his interview." She rambled off running a hand through her hair and looking around for her cell phone throwing back her sheets and searching under her pillows in the process._

_"Hey take it easy." Gibbs stopped her by taking her by the shoulders. "I'll make you breakfast while you take a shower, your dress is already in the closet, and I arranged for your roommate to get picked up."_

_She sighed and took a deep breath. "Thank you, so I've been meaning to ask you, how is Jenny?" She asked with a wink._

_Gibbs laughed. "Go take a shower Brooke, you're starting to smell." He got to his feet and headed for the door only to be clocked in the back of the head by a pillow._

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ducky, what's the story with this guy?" Tony nodded at the table where the victim was, his chest cut open to reveal his organs.

"I've found nothing that suggests an unnatural cause of death here Tony, this man suffered from a heart attack." Ducky replied.

"There were no external injuries?" McGee wondered.

"None whatsoever which leads me to wonder what he was doing in the middle of the woods, I did however find traces of gunpowder on his right hand.

"Do you think he was hunting?" Tony asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's not likely Anthony, not in the clothes he was wearing anyway, no I'd venture a guess that he was after someone."

"We didn't find any bullets or a gun at the scene." Tony said moving closer to the body.

"Then I should say that this man was not alone." Ducky replied.

"Was there any gunpowder on the clothes?" McGee asked.

Ducky shrugged. "I suppose there was, I sent Mr. Palmer to bring it up to Abby."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

By the time they realized that someone was entering the lab it was too late but they relaxed when they saw that it was someone she never met before. He wore round glasses and medical scrubs and had the wide eyed innocence of a newbie. At the sight of him she leaned against the lab counter next to the computer.

"Palmer is that for me?" Abby asked excitedly about the box marked evidence in his hands.

He appeared not to have heard her having become captivated by the mysterious woman who was leaning provocatively on Abby's counter. She raised an eyebrow when the boy named Palmer didn't respond to Abby and instead continued to stare at her.

"Jimmy!"

He flinched and came back to reality and the pretty girl laughed.

"Uh Ducky wanted me to bring this to you." He said handing it to Abby. He then turned back to the woman who was in jeans and a dark purple blouse. "James Palmer, I'm Doctor Mallard's assistant, but you can call me Jimmy." He introduced himself and extended his right hand toward her.

"Hey Jimmy, I'm…Ziva. I'm Abby's new assistant." She replied with a smile hiding the lie from her eyes well.

"That's an unusual name."

The girl nodded. "I guess you could say that it is."

"Oh I'm sorry I uh, I didn't mean to imply that your name is weird I just never heard anything like it before, it's umm it's actually quite a nice, p-pretty name. I think that uh-"

"Palmer," Abby interrupted. "You can go now."

"Right of course I'll let you get back to work, n-nice meeting you Ziva."

"It was nice meeting you too Jimmy." She smiled and tried not to laugh when he almost ran into the wall on his way out. When he was gone she turned to Abby and giggled.

"Is he always like that?"

"You have no idea."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"You think Gibbs is still interrogating the witness?" McGee asked as he and Tony entered the elevator together.

"Witnesses aren't interrogated Probie, they're questioned, interrogations are for suspects." Tony told him while he pushed the button to take them to Abby's lab.

"Actually Tony they are the same interrogation is questioning." McGee answered back.

"Not when you're Gibbs, Probie, not when you're Gibbs."

"What does that mean exactly?" McGee wondered his eyebrows drawing together.

Tony turned to him with a somewhat irritated look as though the answer to that should be obvious. "Have you seen Gibbs question a witness Probie?"

"Of course I have."

"Have you seen him interrogate a suspect?"

"Yes, last time he made the suspect wet his pants."

"I rest my case."

McGee paused to consider the facts and shrugged once he realized that Tony was making a valid point. In the world of Gibbs interrogations and questionings were two different things.

"Wow, take a look at that Probie." Tony was looking in the direction of the lab doors when McGee looked up after getting off the elevator he had to assume that Tony was of course referring to the figure of the woman who had her back to the door occupying the lab with Abby.

"Do you think she could be an assistant?"

Tony grinned. "I sure hope so I wouldn't mind seeing that every day."

"Could you be any more superficial Tony, you haven't even met her yet."

"You've both met her before." Gibbs' voice came from behind both of them and they both looked over their shoulders at him.

"I didn't hear you coming Boss." Tony smiled.

"I took the stairs."

Tony's forehead wrinkled but he shrugged it off and went back to noticing the possible assistant.

"What do you mean we met her before Boss?" McGee wondered.

Suddenly both of Gibbs' hands collided with the backs of the two agents' heads harder than ever before.

"Ouch what was that for Boss?" Tony asked rubbing the back of his head.

"That was for not recognizing your wife DiNozzo!"


	5. More than anyone

NCIS

Chapter 5

More than anyone

Abby started on taking the evidence Palmer brought up out of the box. She looked at Brooke and sighed softly. "Have you thought about what you are going to say to Tony?"

Brooke walked over to Abby's desk where she grabbed Burt the Hippo and hugged him to her chest. She leaned against the counter again near Abby. "That depends."

"Depends on what?" Abby wondered. She paused in her work and watched Brooke.

"On what his reaction to seeing that I'm alive is like." She muttered softly as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"What are you really worried about?" Abby asked as she looked at Brooke.

"He is going to hate me so much when he finds out that Shannon's not really dead either…I know he's never going to want to see me again when I tell him that we had to fake her death too." She explained.

"Brooke, listen to me, it'll be hard for him to hear and actually see but Tony loves you more than anything in this world and he may not understand what happened but we both know he'll try. We also know that he'll be happy that you're both alive."

Brooke smiled and nodded knowing that what Abby said was true.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"She hasn't changed at all." McGee whispered in disbelief at the sight of someone he was so close to, whom he believed to be dead.

"She is as beautiful as ever." Gibbs agreed quietly.

Tony was the only one who was silent as he watched the woman he loved with every last fiber of his being talk to Abby with no idea that his eyes were on her.

_"I must be dreaming."_ He thought to himself. There was no way this was possible not after the way she looked in autopsy that night.

"I have to see her." McGee took a step forward but was stopped when Gibbs pulled him back by his shoulder.

"Not so fast Tim, we don't know that it is safe for us to speak to her yet."

McGee turned around to face Gibbs. "I don't understand Boss." He confessed.

"Our victim lying on the slab in autopsy went after Brooke for witnessing a murder of his, something I'm sure you remember Tim, but she didn't die. Brooke was placed into the witness protection program and until she identifies the body as the one who attacked her we can't be in contact with her." Gibbs explained calmly.

He knew from the moment he saw his daughter that she was the one the witness was talking about.

"But she's talking to Abby." McGee replied defensively.

Gibbs nodded. "I can see that McGee, Abby knew all along."

"What, how do you know that?" McGee questioned.

Gibbs shrugged. "I'm just going with my gut."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

She sat at her desk with her feet propped up on the surface while she leaned back in her chair, a sketchbook balanced on her knees. The scratching of her pencil against the paper was the only sound other than her even breathing in the empty bullpen.

She sketched him as she last saw him, in the elevator staring at the picture of his wife and child. She continued to trace out the contours of his lips with her pencil, feeling as though she would never get the shape right if she never felt them press against hers. She felt guilty for wanting him that way when he still wasn't over it.

"Good morning Agent Todd." She was so startled by the sudden booming greeting that came from Fornell that she dropped the sketchbook under her desk. She leaned forward and hastily picked it up, flipping it closed before anyone could see the subject of her drawing. When she returned to sitting in her chair she noticed that Fornell was not alone.

"Who are you?" She asked the woman with bronze skin and dark curly hair that put both Kate's complexion and locks to shame.

"Ziva David, I'm here with Agent Fornell on confidential matters concerning Special Agent Gibbs." The woman answered in a thick Israeli accent.

"Gibbs is busy at the moment." Kate replied looking over at Fornell.

"Doing what Agent Todd?" Fornell wondered angrily.

Kate sighed. She hated how quickly Fornell became impatient with things that were out of anyone's control. That was Gibbs' territory.

"Does it look like I know the answer to that Fornell, I'm not with him I'm not his keeper." Kate bit back.

"Do you know where he is or don't you Agent Todd?" The woman named Ziva asked quickly and with force before Fornell could even open his mouth in response to Kate's attitude. He watched for Kate's reaction to Ziva instead.

"Last I knew he was in the conference room but it's been awhile since he went up there so he could be in Abby's lab or in autopsy with Ducky at this point." Kate answered looking from one to the other.

"What about DiNozzo and McGee?" Fornell asked.

Kate shrugged. "They went with Gibbs, haven't seen them since."

"Well we need to see them, poncho." Ziva replied. Kate looked confused at the woman's choice of words.

Ziva noted this look of Kate's and looked at Fornell. "Did I make an idiomatic mistake?"

Fornell ignored his partner and addressed Kate. "She means pronto, we don't have a lot of time. Could you call Gibbs and get him up here?"

Kate smirked. "Sure, anything for you Fornell." Her words were laced with sarcasm but before he or Ziva could say anything else she picked up her receiver and dialed Gibbs' cell.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

He considered himself lucky that the phone was set to vibrate had it not been it would have given them away. Though it was true that the three of them were standing in plain sight near the doorway she had miraculously not seen them and it was his goal to keep it that way.

He took the phone from his pocket and answered quietly. "Yeah, Gibbs." He listened as Kate explained why she was calling him. "Alright, we'll be right up." He hung up the small phone and tucked it back into his pocket. "Come on, let's go."

McGee turned to Gibbs with confusion distorting his features. "Where are we going, Boss?"

"Back to the squad room, Fornell is waiting for us." Gibbs explained as he hit the button for the elevator and waited for the doors to open.

The elevator made the sound of its arrival and Gibbs stepped in followed by McGee.

"DiNozzo, move it." Gibbs growled bitterly while watching the agent.

Tony appeared to have not heard Gibbs and instead of turning around he took a step forward toward the lab.

"Hey, DiNozzo get back here!" Gibbs made to exit the elevator, to grab Tony and yank him into the elevator but he was stopped when the doors closed in his face.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Did you know that Abby was getting an assistant Doctor?" Palmer wondered as he helped Ducky examine the insides of the man from the clearing who lay cut open on the table.

Ducky chuckled. "After what happened with the last assistant assigned to Abby I find it hard to believe that Director Shepard would bring another into the lab."

"Well unlike Chuck this one seems nice and approachable."

Ducky smiled at Palmer "Would this have anything to do with the fact that Abby's new assistant is a woman?"

Palmer looked up from the body. "I thought you didn't know about her."

"I didn't Mr. Palmer but based on the look about you it is easy to determine that she is an attractive female."

Palmer smiled at how well Ducky could read him. "That she is."

"Did you get her name?" Ducky asked.

"Ziva, I thought it was odd too," Palmer went on to say without a reaction from Ducky. "With any luck Tony hasn't met her yet."

Ducky ignored the last part of Palmer's statement as he was consumed with his work. "Mr. Palmer, it appears as though our victim has suffered from more than just a fatal heart attack."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Damn it!" Gibbs smacked the doors of the elevator out of frustration.

McGee flinched unsure of whether or not he should say something. He decided not to and watched Gibbs stand there shaking his head.

"I'll kill him if he talks to her." Gibbs grumbled.

In a moment's time the doors reopened to reveal the squad room. Gibbs burst forth from the elevator with McGee at his heels like a loyal puppy.

"Agent Gibbs, Agent McGee." Fornell greeted them both with a curt nod.

Gibbs stopped in front of Fornell before Kate's desk where she sat and Ziva stood both watching the exchange occur. "Do you have a reason for being here Tobias?" Gibbs questioned while staring his opponent down.

"As a matter of fact I do, Jethro." Fornell answered back without wasting any time.

Gibbs was also quick with his reply. "Then what is it?"

"It would seem that the corpse you and your team came across this morning concerns an ongoing investigation of the FBI's." Fornell replied.

Gibbs shrugged. "Meaning what Fornell?"

"Meaning, Special Agent Gibbs, that you are hereby removed from this case until further notice along with Special Agents McGee and DiNozzo." A voice unmistakably belonging to Director Shepard answered from behind the group of mixed agents who all turned at her answer to Gibbs' question.

Gibbs simply stared at the Director. It did not take long for her to realize an agent she was speaking of was not present. "Where is Special Agent DiNozzo?"

"Which one Jen?" Gibbs asked giving away the fact that he knew she was in Abby's lab.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

_The proposal_

_He had been trying for weeks now to ask her, playing it out over and over again in his head. It was driving him crazy but he wanted it to be perfect. She deserved to have everything perfect. Plus Abby was starting to get to him by pressuring him to just get it over with already._

_He fiddled with the ring box in his pocket that he had help picking out from Abby and McGee. He would never forget the way Gibbs stared at him for what felt like forever when he asked for the man's permission to marry her. Now it all came down to when and how he was going to ask her._

_Tony already knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She was the first and only woman to ever get through to him completely and let him in just as much. _

_Tony was too preoccupied with thinking that he didn't see her round the corner and creep up behind him. He didn't realize she was there until he felt her hands on his shoulders and her breath on his neck. He had flinched at the sudden and unexpected contact making her giggle softly in his ear._

"_Working hard?" Brooke asked curiously as she leaned in to kiss his cheek._

"_Something like that." Tony replied softly while turning to look over his shoulder at her._

_She moved around his chair and sat on the edge of his desk in front of him. She could tell that he was distracted and he knew it. She could always tell when something was on his mind. He loved that about her but there were times when it drove him crazy._

"_What are you thinking about?" She asked curiously looking into his eyes with her green ones, the eyes he fell in love with._

"_Same thing I'm always thinking about." Tony replied mysteriously._

"_Sex?" She wondered with a playful smirk and a raised eyebrow._

_Tony chuckled at the question. "Well now that you mention it…" He trailed off knowing that she would be able to tell what he was going to say._

"_Oh I see how it is the idea wasn't in your head until I said it."_

"_Well actually it wasn't but you were. You're always in my head Brooke." _

"_I sure hope that's a good thing."_

"_It's a great thing." Tony smiled and took her hand, her left hand. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak again Gibbs walked around the corner followed closely by McGee._

"_Grab your gear." _

_Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair while Brooke rose from his desk and walked across the bullpen to grab her six and badge off her own desk. _

_Just as she turned to leave Tony took her hand again and turned her around to face him. Gibbs who was at his desk to get his own gun paused as did McGee. Both knew that the other man had been waiting for the right moment._

"_Tony we have to…" Brooke lost her train of thought when Tony took a knee in front of her. "What are you doing?" She asked in surprise after struggling to find her voice._

"_Brooke I love you-"_

"_Tony…" She whispered almost unable to even say that much._

"_Let me finish. I love you Brooke, I never actually knew what love was until I met you even when I thought I did. I've never been so happy in my entire life. I'm lucky to have you and I promise I'm going to love you more than anyone. So, will you marry me?"_

_With trembling hands Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box. He opened it slowly to show her the diamond ring._

_Brooke stood there even more frozen and speechless than when he took a knee and started talking. Her mouth fell open at the question and at the sight of the ring. She closed her jaw when she realized she couldn't speak._

_"My leg is falling asleep here." Tony chuckled._

_"Yes!" Brooke gasped after another long moment of silence._

_After hearing her answer Tony put the ring on her finger and stood pulling her into a tight embrace. He had been trying for weeks to plan the perfect night to ask but he realized that it didn't matter where they were, all he needed was her._

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

She froze when the doors to the lab made their usual whooshing sound as they were opening. The entirety of her body was tense with fear at who it might be standing so close behind her that she could feel their breath on the back of her neck.

She looked up frantically at Abby who leaned on the other side of the counter across from her but their eyes did not meet. Abby was preoccupied staring with apologetic eyes at the person behind her visitor.

"I'm…um…I'm going to go see if Gibbs needs me to…uh…to not be in here right now." Abby spoke quickly and before she could prevent the forensic scientist from leaving she was already gone.

She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of frustration, anger, and fear before opening them again. She tried to imagine that he was not behind her but his presence was weighing her down. She couldn't speak, she could feel her throat tightening, and she was slowly losing the ability to breathe evenly.

She cleared her throat though it did not help in the least and turned to face him. She looked up into his eye which gave her goose bumps.

"Hi Tony."


	6. What a beautiful mess

NCIS

Chapter 6

What a beautiful mess

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean Doctor." Palmer confessed as he looked up at Ducky from where he sat at the desk filling out the paperwork on the John Doe.

"I mean, Mr. Palmer that the heart attack may have been brought on by something other than clogged arteries." Ducky replied.

"How can that be Doctor?" Palmer wondered. He rose from the desk and walked toward Ducky who was looking into the victim's chest cavity.

"There are only so many ways in which that can happen my dear boy and that is what we have Abby for to find out exactly how it happened but take a look here Mr. Palmer." Ducky pointed out the liver and the gastrointestinal tract.

"He was poisoned?" Palmer guessed.

"Yes, Mr. Palmer and by the looks of it he was poisoned with arsenic." Ducky replied with a slight nod.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Maybe you didn't hear me Special Agent Gibbs, where is Agent DiNozzo?" Jenny's patience was already beginning to wear thin. Gibbs was the last person she wanted to deal with while everything was going on. She knew when he asked which DiNozzo that he was indicating he knew about Brooke.

"I heard you just fine Director and I asked you which one." Gibbs stared at her and used extra force in his tone when he addressed her as her position. It was what he always did when she was getting on his nerves.

"You know damn well which one Jethro." Jenny hissed. She stared back at Gibbs and in a manner that on she could get away with doing. Then again she learned it from him unlike Brooke who simply inherited the ability.

"No, I don't know _Director."_ This time as he spoke to her he wore a smug grin on his face though his eyes still showed the anger and hurt he felt toward her for hiding this from him. He could see in her eyes that she had no all along for the past three years.

Jenny spoke to Fornell and Ziva without looking away from him. "Agent Fornell and Officer David, please follow me." She turned away from Gibbs on her heel heading toward the elevator and not far behind her Fornell and Ziva followed.

"What was that all about, where is Tony?" Kate asked a little confused by what she heard.

"You heard the Director Kate, we're off the case." Gibbs answered as he sat at his desk. He knew where Jenny was going and maybe she'd find out that he really did know where Tony was, maybe she wouldn't, maybe she already knew, but that was not what had him concerned.

Kate looked over at McGee who had sat down as well for an answer that made more sense but this time he did not give it but not only that he showed no interest in telling her. She was not sure what came over him and decided to sit down as well instead of pressing the issues and causing them to be even more upset with her than they already were.

"Gibbs!" The outburst from Abby as she exited the elevator in a rush gave the three agents whip lash as they snapped their heads up in response. She bolted straight for Gibbs' desk with the ring contained in the evidence bag in her gloved hands.

Kate and McGee, curious by nature got up from their seats in a flash and stood next to her in front of his desk.

"What have you got Abs?" He tried not to look excited that she found something, he was not sure how much the other two would read into it.

"Um, well my lab is kind of occupied at the moment so I haven't been able to run any actual tests but I found something interesting with my own senses." She explained.

Gibbs just stared at her to which she responded by slipping into her mock Gibbs voice. "Get to the point Abby, I don't have all day."

Despite the anger he had for her keeping the secret he smiled but Kate and McGee stood there with questioning looks, wondering what she could have possibly found. Abby pointed out part of the ring that had a clearly visible fingerprint on it.

Gibbs got an almost irritated expression on his face. "Abs, I already knew that was there." He half growled.

Abby shook her head. "No Gibbs, I managed to get a match before my lab started getting crowded."

"Abs, with me." Gibbs led her to the hallway by the bathrooms. Kate and McGee stayed behind looking more confused than ever but not uttering a single word to one another.

"Did Brooke kill him?" He stared into her eyes hoping for an answer any answer and for the first time in all the years she had known him she saw a glimmer of fear in his icy blues.

With the question and the look following it she could tell that he knew but she questioned herself wondering if it was appropriate to just save her breath and come out with the truth or lie to him until he stared it out of her.

"You mean the blonde you brought in earlier, Kate told me about her over the phone." Abby told him with her poker face on. "I guess that's possible."

Gibbs said nothing and as she predicted he simply stared at her. In that moment she realized that he knew for sure.

"Gibbs Brooke is gone I shouldn't have to tell you that." She said calmly.

Gibbs shook his head and took her by the shoulders. "Abby, I saw her in the lab. Now I need you to tell me if she killed that man."

Abby was silent for a long moment and Gibbs became uncomfortable, there was no way his little girl was capable of killing someone in cold blood. "Abby."

"I don't know if she did it but the print doesn't belong to her even if she did," She told him quietly. "Gibbs…It belongs to Joann Fielding."

Gibbs suddenly tore away from her and jogged his way back into the squad room.

"What is it Boss?" McGee asked as he stood up from his chair. He knew the look that was playing across Gibbs' face.

"McGee, tell me you got that witness's information." Gibbs said as he paused at his Agent's desk.

"Of course Boss, you want me to-?"

"Get her back in here," Gibbs finished McGee's sentence and turned to Kate. "Kate, go down to Ducky and see if he has anymore news about the body."

"Gibbs the Director-."

"I don't care about what the Director said, this is my case and I'm going to finish it your job is to follow my orders!" He barked.

Kate said nothing and left her desk as Gibbs requested heading toward the elevator and for the second time that day tears filled her eyes. She wondered to herself if everything would go back to normal after today this case was over.

Gibbs watched her go and after she was in the elevator he turned back to McGee who hung up the phone not a second earlier.

"She's on her way Boss." McGee told him with a nod as Abby came around the corner with the ring still in her hands.

"Take her to interrogation one when she gets here."

Gibbs turned on his heel and as he darted past Abby he slipped the evidence bag with the ring in it out of her hands and marched toward the stairs.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Abby stared at her feet afraid to look up at him for the fear that if Gibbs knew then maybe he did too. She pulled off her gloves turning them inside out and dropped them into the trash beside his desk.

She was so used to having all the answers and she'd give anything to have them for the questions that kept popping into her head. Luckily he was the first to speak but his words were not that of comfort or even words that she was expecting to hear.

"When were you going to tell me?"

She looked up at him finally feeling betrayed and hurt at the question. She realized that by his asking he was giving himself up and letting her know that he already had knowledge of her secret.

"Tim, I couldn't out her you know that." She said tearfully, she could not believe that he was putting her in this position.

"We broke up because it was too painful for both of us now just imagine how I must feel to find out that was a lie too." McGee shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "How am I supposed to trust you again?"

"Timmy, don't be like that, I didn't have a choice and it's not like I asked to carry the burden of knowing while you and Tony and Gibbs were in the dark, you don't even know how I found out that Brooke was alive. If I had waited five, maybe even two minutes to see the Director that day I'd be just as shocked as you are to find out that my best friend is still breathing. Don't you dare look at me like I'm the bad guy it was just as hard for me as it was for you, if not more."

As Abby spoke her voice became shaky. She was ranting but she didn't care. He didn't understand and there was no way for her to explain properly in a way that he could.

"Yeah, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to get to talk to her and share everything you wanted with her." McGee snapped.

Abby, who was not used to his hostility, could do nothing but stare at him in shock and utter discomfort. "It wasn't like that."

McGee stared back feeling sorry for giving her so much grief and causing her to cry but he couldn't help it, she knew all along and that was almost enough to kill him. "I don't know what to believe anymore." He said quietly.

"Um, am I interrupting something?"

The polite voice made both Abby and McGee look up to find a woman with blonde hair standing in the center of the squad room clearly feeling out of place. Since she was there less than an hour ago she had showered and changed out of her work out clothes and into a pair of skinny jeans and fancy eggplant colored shirt with an NCIS visitor's pass clipped to the hem. Her hair was down and wavy and parted to one side.

McGee looked at Abby who was wiping her eyes quickly to avoid questions and further eye contact with him before turning back to the witness.

"No, don't worry about it, come with me please." McGee came out from behind his desk and led the blonde Brooke down the hall to bring her back to the interrogation room without a second glance at Abby.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs paused on the stairwell on his way back down to the lab. If he said he'd never dreamed of seeing her again he'd be lying.

He looked at the engraving of the ring through the plastic bag in his hands, the words all too familiar to him. He read it once more though he did not need to he had already memorized every single word.

_"__Brooke Joann Gibbs-DiNozzo, First kill."_

Gibbs felt his stomach twisting into knots like it did the first time he read the engraving. He closed his eyes and for a moment flashed back to when Brooke was barely a teenager and Shannon and Kelly were still alive. It didn't last nearly as long as he had wanted it to since his cell phone interrupted the memory.

"Yeah, Gibbs." He answered.

McGee's voice came through. "The witness is here, Boss. Have her waiting in interrogation for you."

"I'm on my way McGee." Gibbs hung up and put the phone back into his pocket. Just when he was getting used to not having her around she was back in his life and he wouldn't even get the chance to see her, at least not yet.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"I am starting to believe Abby when she says that you are psychic, Jethro." Ducky said without looking up as the doors to autopsy beeped announcing the arrival of Kate.

"Actually it's me Ducky but Gibbs sent me." She said with a warm smile as she walked up to the table that was occupied by the victim's corpse.

Ducky looked up with a chuckle. "So he sent you to do the digging this time yes?"

"That would be correct, I take it you have something?" Kate asked crossing her arms.

Ducky looked at Palmer who was sewing the officer back up at the other side of the table then looked back at Kate. "Well I don't think Gibbs would have sent you down here if he didn't suspect I had something."

Kate shrugged smiling again. "That much is definitely true, so what do you have?"

"Based on what I have seen before me Caitlin I would have to say that our victim was poisoned." Ducky answered in a gentle tone.

Kate's face turned to stone and she shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Poisoned, with what Ducky?"

"It appears to be arsenic, I have sent blood, urine, and tissue samples up to Abby for analysis. If it is what I suspect it to be then the hair samples I have also sent up should come in handy." Ducky replied as he turned from looking a Kate to the body.

"The initial cause of death was a heart attack, however had he not died from that it is likely that someone was intending to kill him slowly." Ducky added.

"Thank you Doctor." Kate patted his shoulder then left autopsy for the squad room.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Tony." She repeated his name not to get his attention because she clearly had it already. She said his name because for three years she was unable to and each time she couldn't she wanted nothing more than to do so.

"This is unbelievable." He whispered. Seeing her through the door of the lab was far more different from standing there in front of her, talking to her.

"I'm sorry Tony, to have put you through this." She told him sheepishly. If it hadn't been three years since she'd last seen him she would be looking at her feet.

"Why are you here," He paused and took a step closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. He tried to resist but he had to touch her to know that she wasn't just a dream or a ghost. "How are you here?"

She let out a ragged breath trying to keep from bawling tears of joy at seeing him again so she could speak. "My murderer was obviously not as successful as you thought." She replied shakily.

"Where have you been?" He asked in a whisper as he lowered his hands and wrapped his arms around her in a tight but gentle embrace.

"Witness protection, they wouldn't even let me have a picture of you." Her voice sounded far away as she buried her face in his shirt taking in his scent.

"What happens now?" He asked out of concern and love, he was not about to let her go. He didn't want to.

"You know that body you found this morning?" She answered with a question.

Tony hugged her tighter. "Yeah, what about it?"

Suddenly she started to sob. "If I don't identify him as the man who tried to kill me I have to go back Tony." She answered. "I don't want to go back!"

Tony pulled away enough so that he could kiss her softly on the lips and wipe the tears from her face. He was about to tell her that it would be alright and that he would go with her to look at the body and it would be the right man so they could pick up where they left off. But he was interrupted by the door to the other part of the lab opening.

He watched as their little girl with bright red hair wearing a sundress came running out to hug his leg

"Daddy!" All that was going through his head was that it couldn't really be her as he bent down to take her into his arms.

Tony looked up at his wife and opened his mouth to speak, to demand an explanation but Jenny saved him from saying something stupid out of anger.

"Brooke."

She didn't budge from looking at Tony with unshed tears in her eyes. She saw the pain and betrayal clear across his features and it broke her heart.

"Brooke," Jenny called a bit louder. "You have a body to identify."

Finally she tore her eyes away from Tony and looked toward the door at Jenny, Ziva, and Fornell. She nodded and looked back at Tony. "Please, I don't want her seeing something that." She whispered and without waiting for an answer the brunette left him in the lab with Shannon still clinging to him and he had no intention of letting go.


	7. Crash into me

NCIS

Chapter 7

Crash into me

Gibbs opened the door to observation while somewhat grumbling to himself. First Brooke was a person of interest and now her grandmother, Shannon's mother, and his ex mother in law was somehow involved. This was quickly going from bad to worse.

McGee stood in front of the large two-way mirror seemingly watching the witness but as Gibbs approached the team's youngest agent it became more obvious that he was staring blankly through the window.

"What's on your mind, McGee?" Gibbs wondered as he looked at the girl in the opposite room who seemed slightly uneasy to him. He avoided eye contact knowing how uncomfortable McGee could get during a stare down. The time did not seem appropriate for that.

For a moment McGee seemed unsure of what to say. "She seems to know more than what she told us earlier, a little nervous since we asked her back." The agent answered.

Gibbs chuckled and turned to face McGee. "I meant about Brooke being back."

McGee sighed and focused his eyes on the witness. "To be honest Boss I'm more upset than I am excited."

Gibbs went from looking at McGee to slightly glaring for what was said to him. The time to stare felt more than appropriate now. "Why, she's your best friend McGee. Since MIT am I wrong?"

McGee sighed heavily as he finally turned to meet Gibbs' gaze. "That's just it Boss. She's my best friend, your daughter, Tony's wife. Abby of all people knew instead of us. Abby, the one that we trusted, lied to us about someone so important in our lives." McGee paused to take a breath. "How can I trust them now?"

Gibbs patted McGee's shoulder in a fatherly manner. "You'll figure it out McGee." What he really wanted to say was that he had no idea.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Brooke did not realize that she was holding her breath during the elevator ride down to autopsy until she in fact reached the doors to enter the morgue. The fact that she was about to possibly face the man that ruined her life, alive or not, had her heart racing unbelievably fast.

She froze and needed some kind of reassurance. She glanced down at her hands to find them trembling, the palms sweaty, and a piece of treasured jewelry missing on the fourth finger of the left hand. To this day, three years later she felt completely bare without it.

She'd give anything to have him at her side at this moment. However as much as she wanted him beside her she wanted Shannon to keep from seeing this even more than that.

Jenny was halfway through the doors to autopsy and on her way to taking a look at the body when she noticed that Brooke was no longer at her side. The redhead turned back and began to move back toward her.

"Brooke." Jenny said her name softly just to get her attention. She took a deep breath. It was hard to see the strongest woman she had ever known in such a state. The girl was so much like her father that it seemed unnatural for her to be frightened of a dead body.

Jenny took a step closer and gently took hold of Brooke's hands. "I know this is hard …"

"You have no idea." Brooke whispered. Her eyes left her hands to meet Jenny's.

"I can't promise that you that everything will go back to normal now. I can however tell you that this is the first step to getting your life back." Jenny told the agent truthfully.

Brooke sighed and took a hand back to run through her hair. "The thing is I can't help but wonder if I had stayed here maybe we would have caught this guy faster as a team. Assuming he is the one on that table in there."

Jenny nodded curtly at the statement wanting to comfort the daughter of the man she was still in love with. The problem was that she had no idea how to go about doing that. It would be easier if she knew that this body was who they wanted it to be. The only one who could know for sure was standing right in front of her. "I'm sure this will all be over soon."

Brooke nodded with a hopeful expression in her eyes. "I would give anything for that."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Do you know why I asked you to come back here today?" Gibbs asked as he entered interrogation and took a seat across from Brooke, the witness.

She shrugged and took a guess. "You want to know more about what I saw?"

Gibbs leaned against the back of his chair and crossed his arms. He stared at her for a long moment. After the pause he spoke up. "No, I want to know what you really saw."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Kate entered the observation room just in time to see Gibbs tell the girl what he wanted from her. She stood beside McGee who kept his silence. The female agent took a deep breath and released it slowly. There was too much tension in the air and she need to speak in hopes of changing that.

"Ducky said the victim was slowly being poisoned but he died of a heart attack."

The last thing McGee felt like doing was talking to Kate but as it pertained to the case he would make an exception. "Did the heart attack have anything to do with the poisoning?" He kept his eyes straight ahead watching Gibbs work.

Kate sighed also watching Gibbs. This girl was taking awhile to speak up. "Ducky didn't say what triggered the heart attack but if it was the poison Abby will be able to tell us."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"I already told you what happened out there Agent Gibbs, so why am I here again?"

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "I know better than to believe that, I have evidence that tells me your story was not the truth. It would really help me out if you told me what happened."

Kate watched nervously as the girl considered what her reaction should be. There was no denying that Gibbs was good at what he did. After sighing, the blonde started to tell him about what it was she honestly saw.

"There was an older woman there. She was walking through the path with the guy and they were talking. I wasn't really listening to what they were saying."

"You said you were running you didn't pass them?"

The girl shrugged. "I usually warm up by walking for a few minutes to get my blood going." She replied honestly.

Gibbs nodded accepting what she told him as the truth and urged her to continue by giving a poor attempt at a smile.

"He collapsed out of nowhere." She informed Gibbs with a shake of her head. "The woman started to drag him into the clearing you found him in."

Gibbs' eyebrows pulled together in confusion. All he could think of was the fact that this girl was talking about an older woman. That only proved his suspicions of Joann being involved to be correct.

"I walked up to her and asked if I should call an ambulance. She seemed calm, like she was expecting him to drop dead. It freaked me out. I don't know if she had realized that I had been behind her the whole time or not. Anyway she told me to call NCIS and say that my name was Brooke. It's really Angela."

She bit her lip expecting to be in some kind of trouble for lying. She continued when Gibbs didn't interrupt her. "She told me to tell you that story about the girl. I didn't know what she was going to do if I told the truth so I lied to you like she asked."

Gibbs sighed and realized that he was going to have to get his former mother in law in here.

"She waited until I made the call then she left. I'm sorry Agent Gibbs I didn't know what else to do."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Abby walked into her lab expecting it to be empty by now. She still had the tears in her eyes from the upstairs battle with McGee though they were no longer falling.

The Goth stopped in the doorway when she found that Tony was still there only this time with Shannon in his arms. Her heart felt even heavier than it had only moments ago at the sight of Tony fighting back his own tears.

It was a bittersweet moment to say the least. Tony looked up when he saw Abby's platforms out of the corner of his eye. He looked at her like she had the plague.

Tony pulled back from Shannon slightly and held her at arm's length. "Sweetheart, why don't you go and play with Burt. I need to have a talk with your aunt Abby for a minute."

The little redhead smiled at her father and nodded. "Okay." She skipped over to Abby's desk just past the second set of doors. Tony watched her sit in the chair and hug Burt to her chest which resulted in a fit of giggles as the stuffed hippo farted.

Tony couldn't help but smile although when he turned face Abby the smile vanished completely and he surprised her by letting a tear fall. The last time she witnessed Tony showing any form of sadness was at the funeral, both of them.

"Tony, I should have said something I know that but I just couldn't. You have to understand that." She begged. "Please." She added with tears welling up in her pale green eyes again.

Tony shook his head and sighed as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. He didn't know what to say. It wasn't enough that he thought his wife and child had been dead, that his heart had recently been broken for the second time by a certain doctor. Now he had to find out like this that his family was still alive and well. After careful consideration he began to speak.

"The thing is Abby I don't know who I can trust anymore. You know how hard it was for me to lose them. Just imagine how I must feel to find out it's all been a lie."

"Tony listen-"

"I can't help thinking that this would be less painful if I still had Jeanne. That's my own damn fault though I should have told her the truth." Tony shook his head and looked at the floor to keep from showing how disappointed he was.

Abby shook her head, appalled by Tony's words. "You can't mean that, you should be happy that Brooke is here, that your daughter is here. You love her, you love both of them."

"I love Shannon, that's all I know." Without another word Tony walked past her out of the lab.

Shannon noticed her father leaving from where she sat at Abby's desk. The little girl got up and began to go after him but Abby was quick to pick her up. "Come on, you can be my assistant."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs stormed into the observation room so fast that Kate jumped to the ceiling and McGee nearly wet himself. The two agents looked to their superior with their hearts racing. The look on the older man's face alone suggested that he was on a short fuse and not to ask too many questions.

"Boss?" McGee dared to speak first. Kate looked from one to the other unsure of what to expect.

"You two," Gibbs gestured to each of them. "Take her home and get my mother in law in here, now." Gibbs barked the order to them, his words spoken in a rush. Before either Kate or McGee had time to react he was gone as quickly as he had entered the room making his way to the lab now. He was completely unaware of the surprises to come, as were the rest of them.


	8. As I lay dying

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 8

As I lay dying

McGee was silent ever since he left NCIS with Kate. It was beginning to drive her insane she couldn't stand the thought of anyone being upset with her. They had quite a long way to go to get Joann Fielding from her home in Fairfax. By now she would have had time to make her way back there after leaving the crime scene.

From the corner of his eye he could see her staring out the window. A knife was needed to cut the tension between them right now. She had questions and he had the answers yet she was afraid of offending him like she had Gibbs and Tony. Based on what she learned Brooke meant a lot to McGee too.

After awhile McGee sighed. "You know you can ask me anything Kate."

"Are you sure?" She wondered softly.

McGee kept his eyes on the road ahead and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"How did this happen?" Kate knew she was asking a lot of the same questions but the answers were also different depending on who she asked.

"How did what happen?" McGee asked politely.

Kate realized she hadn't been specific with her inquiry so she tried again. "I guess I'm just curious about Brooke…well I just want to know what she's like. It didn't seem like a good idea to ask Tony or Gibbs."

McGee knew that Kate actually wanted to know the details on how Brooke 'died'. He could tell by the pause and how she rephrased the original question. He decided to play along and pretend he hadn't noticed.

"I have no idea who she is anymore to tell you the truth Kate. What she went through…it probably scarred her for life. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. For the last three years she's had to deal with it alone. I can only hope that Brooke is the same person she was before and that this mess will be over soon." McGee explained.

Kate looked over at her partner as every word sunk in. "Sounds like you really care about her Tim."

McGee shook his head and released a heavy sigh. "I love her Kate."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Brooke couldn't remember the last time she held her breath in this way. She couldn't say she had ever felt so much fear in her life. As she approached the body covered by a sheet her heart was beating like it never had before. If not for Jenny guiding her toward the slab Brooke would still be frozen in place at the door.

Ducky gave her a sympathetic look as he waited patiently for Brook to give him a sign that she was ready to look. He had known the truth that Brooke was alive all along for obvious reasons. He could only imagine the conversation with Gibbs on the subject.

The walk from the door to the center of the room felt as though it took a lifetime. Ziva and Fornell were already at the table both hoping that a positive identification would be made.

Jenny stopped when there was nowhere left to go. Brooke stared at the sheet covering the body where she knew the victim's face would be.

Ducky watched her waiting for her to be ready and give him a signal of sorts. Brooke took a deep breath before making eye contact with the Medical Examiner and nodding in a subtle manner just enough for him to notice.

Everyone was silent as Ducky brought his hands up to pull the sheet away from the victim's head. He paused however when the automatic doors slid open. Brooke who was already trembling from anticipation glanced over her shoulder and the others looked toward the entrance as well.

"Tony." Brooke whispered surprised that he came down. "I thought you were with Shannon." She managed to add softly.

Fornell looked pissed that Tony was there but kept his mouth shut for now. Ziva stood just as quietly waiting and watching the couple.

Tony walked further in to the large room and over to his wife not caring at all what Jenny or Fornell might have to say about this stunt later. The agent already knew that Brooke was alive anyway nothing was going to change that fact now.

"Shannon is with Abby, I couldn't let you do this alone…I mean…without me." The Italian explained.

When he reached her Tony took her hand into his larger one and gave it a gentle squeeze letting Brooke know she had his support and he wasn't going anywhere. As mad as he was over everything, especially Shannon's fake death, he knew Brooke needed him. At the moment he didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive her but they could sort through that later. Tony knew that the case needed to come first even though he'd rather deal with family business.

Brooke smiled weakly at Tony. She felt a hell of a lot stronger with the man she loved at her side. The female DiNozzo took another deep breath before nodding a second time at Ducky to continue.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs could not seem to think straight despite how hard he tried to. There was so much going on that not even a night of boat building and bourbon drinking could fix it. The team leader stopped just outside of the forensics lab and leaned against the wall. Gibbs needed to remind himself that no matter what none of this was Abby's fault. As upset as he was over the entire situation with Brooke he knew in his heart that Abby was an innocent bystander. She was as much a daughter to him as Brooke. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her by taking out his frustrations on the wrong person.

Once he was ready to break his own rule on apologizing Gibbs moved away from the wall and entered the lab. Just when he thought everything was about to be settled his eyes fell on his granddaughter. In that moment Gibbs became speechless, not that he really talked much to begin with but that was beside the point.

"Papa!" Shannon went running toward Gibbs like she had with Tony when she saw him. Gibbs bent down to pick her up and once he was back on his feet he looked over the little girl's shoulder at Abby.

The scientist had turned her back on her computer when she heard Shannon squeal and rush toward the doorway. Abby bit her lip hoping that this wouldn't get ugly, she wasn't sure if she could handle another person being mad at her for something that was out of her hands.

Gibbs wanted to be pissed but it was just taking too much energy to continue to feel that way. He should count his blessings that his family was alive and well even if it was all happening under his nose. He softened his expression to let Abby know that she was not on his bad side then proceeded to close his eyes as he embraced his grandchild.

It felt as though it was too good to be true, that he was going to wake up at any moment but for the first time in a long time he was happy. As bittersweet as all of this was there was no greater relief than knowing that everyone he cared about was okay, maybe not emotionally, at least not yet but they were healthy. For the time being that's what mattered most.

"I missed you Papa." Shannon confessed as her little arms wrapped around his neck.

Gibbs couldn't help but smile and pulled back just a bit to look at her. "I missed you too kiddo." It was clear that Gibbs had a way with children and always had. "Have you been helping Abby?"

The small redhead nodded and grinned, showing off the fact that she had lost a couple of baby teeth already in the front.

Gibbs chuckled and shifted her to rest on his hip. "Good girl." He couldn't get over the fact that Shannon seemed so grown up to him now even though she was only five. It probably had to do with the fact that he missed out on the last three years of her life.

"Abby, what do you have for me?" Gibbs wondered while suddenly wishing he had remembered to get her a Caf-Pow. With all that was going on he was a bit too preoccupied.

Abby smiled pleased that Gibbs did not appear to be ready to give her a difficult time like DiNozzo had. It was truly the last thing she needed.

"Well I was finally able to test the samples that Ducky sent up to me. By the way Palmer thinks Brooke is Ziva…but you don't want to hear about that. Anyway I figured out that our guy downstairs was definitely…um…" Abby paused looking from Gibbs to Shannon and back.

Gibbs really didn't want to put the child down but it would not be ideal for a girl so young and innocent to hear what Abby was about to tell him. Gibbs looked at Shannon and gave smiled warmly at her. "Shannon-"

"I know…I'm too little to hear this." Shannon said with a sigh. Gibbs chuckled and set her down watching her pass through the doors to sit at Abby's desk and color. When he was sure that Shannon was out of earshot he turned back to Abby who was laughing.

"What's so funny?" Gibbs had to ask considering what they were all going through.

"I was just thinking that Shannon is so much like Brooke…Tony too but it's not as obvious since…"Abby trailed off and Gibbs nodded.

"Yeah, I know so what did you get from the samples you tested?"

Abby sighed prepping herself for the discussion. "Okay as I was saying that guy in autopsy was definitely being poisoned. Based on the hair sample it's been happening for awhile. The killer started using smaller doses of arsenic at first but apparently John Doe wasn't dying fast enough. He ended up dropping dead but like I said there was intent to kill here." Abby explained. While she spoke she showed Gibbs her findings on the computer screen.

"Is there any evidence that Joann was involved in this?" Gibbs didn't miss a beat.

"Except for her fingerprint on the ring I found nothing. I'm sure we'd be able to find out more if we had his name though." Abby replied with a shrug.

Gibbs sighed and nodded. "Yeah, that's what Brooke is here to tell us." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks Abs." He turned to leave but Abby stopped him before he reached the door.

"Gibbs wait…I thought you were off the case?"

"When have you ever known me to do what I'm told?" Gibbs smirked as he left the lab and Abby knew that they were okay now even if she still had problems with Tony and McGee to sort out.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

_Three years ago_

_ Brooke could see from the corner of her eye while she worked that Tony was keeping a close watch on her. They were the only ones left at headquarters still working despite the insanely late hour. She felt her eyelids growing heavy but she refused to leave without finishing her work. She was relieved when Gibbs had offered to take Shannon for the night and spend quality time with her._

_ Tony sat at his own desk across the way resting his chin in the palm of his hand. The Italian was far more awake than his wife but regardless this was not how he pictured the start of their weekend. _

_ "Brooke, it's after midnight you look like you're about to fall asleep on your keyboard…I think we should call it a night." _

_ Without looking up Brooke sighed and shook her head. "No, I need to catch up on all of this paperwork…you go ahead home. I'll call a cab when I'm through." She replied._

_ What Tony didn't know was that his wife was trying to get rid of him so she could continue her undercover work which he wasn't supposed to have any knowledge about._

_ "Well I could do that but where's the fun in going home while Shannon is with Gibbs without you?" Tony smirked suggestively and left his desk walking over to hers. He took a seat on the edge of her desk getting in the way of her work._

_ Brooke signed her report from the most recent case and she slipped the papers into an empty file folder before looking up at him. "You have a point…I suppose the rest of this can wait until Monday morning."_

_ In her heart she knew that if she tried to push Tony away even further than she had been it would lead to more suspicion. Brooke couldn't risk getting her cover blown if Tony started looking into her behavior so she knew she had to hide it better._

_ Tony grinned happily and Brooke got to her feet. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her small waist. He swore that there was a look in her eyes telling him that she wanted to say something but before he could ask questions she kissed him rather passionately._

_ "I love you." Brooke whispered as she rested her forehead lightly against his. The words reflected in her gaze and given the close proximity and lack of space between them he could feel her heart beating fast. Tony was concerned but he knew that he never had a reason to worry about her feelings for him._

_ "I love you too and Happy Birthday." Tony replied as he leaned in to kiss her this time._

_ Brooke smiled when they broke apart for the second time. "Thank you…now let's go home and start celebrating." _

_Three hours later_

_ The now twenty five year old married mother of one watched her husband sleep soundly in their large bed. It was breaking her heart to be keeping a secret from him…well two secrets. Both of them major, only Gibbs knew the one secret she didn't exactly have to be keeping._

_ Brooke took a deep breath and released it slowly as she ran a hand over her stomach, being careful not to disturb Tony who had his arms wrapped securely around her waist. Knowing that he was in a deep sleep from the gentle snoring she took a chance._

_ "I'm pregnant." She whispered the news as quietly as possible before slithering out of his grasp and getting out of their marital bed._

_ Brooke tiptoed her way around the room putting on a fresh outfit in silence. She hated the thought of sneaking out of the house. The last thing she wanted was for Tony to think she was seeing someone else. There was no one she loved more than the man she was looking at right now. _

_ Feeling tears in her eyes Brooke turned away from him and left the bedroom. Downstairs she tucked a knife into her fashionable black leather high heel boots. The young Gibbs then strapped her small backup weapon to her waist after checking that it was loaded._

_ Once the agent was fully equipped she left her cell phone on the small table located by the door before slipping out of the house._

_30 minutes later_

_ During the drive to the where the meeting was set to take place Director Shepard had been contacted despite the early Saturday morning hour. Brooke believed she had the ability to handle this herself but Jenny was adamant about knowing every action that was being taken during this private investigation._

_ Brooke knew what she was about to do and it was not going to take more than an hour or two… so she hoped. _

_ The well trained agent parked her car a few blocks away from the location and walked the rest of the way. It was no secret that Brooke was talented when it came to speaking a number of languages. In this case she was proud of the fact that she could speak both French and Russian as fluently as she could English. It was probably why she was chosen for this job. Jenny had yet to tell her the reason but Brooke didn't press._

_ While walking toward the townhouse for the meeting Brooke sensed that something was up. She had a feeling in her gut but she continued knowing that turning back would be an even bigger mistake than ignoring her better judgment._

_ Brooke tightened the belt on her white trench coat with contrasting black buttons and continued forward. It did not take long for her to reach the townhouse and climb the front steps. _

_ She reached into her pocket pulling out the key that she had for the place. The item was sent to her through the mail and delivered to her fake address which actually belonged to a former agent._

_ That had to be where it all went wrong. Brooke inserted the key into the lock then twisted it as she turned the knob. An instant later the trigger was pulled and she was sprawled out on the steps._

_ Brooke didn't even hear the gunshot which led her to believe that there was a silencer attached to the weapon. All she could feel was the searing pain in her lower abdomen where she had been shot. She immediately applied pressure to the wound and a moment later a man was standing over her._

_ She gasped for breath and reached with her free hand for the gun she had strapped her to hip but he was faster since she was wounded and ended up shooting her square in the chest. _


	9. A new twist

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 9

A new twist

There were so many emotions running through Brooke's veins that she began to feel dizzy as she stared at the body of the man who almost killed her. Without realizing it she began to hyperventilate and stumbled backward. Tripping over her own feet she began to fall to the floor. Tony broke the fall since she dragged him down with her unaware of the fact that she still had a strong hold on his hand.

"Brooke, take it easy." Tony instructed her gently. The sight of her this way terrified him. Gently he cradled her in his arms on the floor and tangled his fingers in her soft hair as she buried her face in his neck.

Jenny crouched down beside her agents temporarily forgetting how she was angry with Gibbs and DiNozzo for getting involved after she specifically told them not to. The Director placed a hand on Brooke's shoulder but the younger woman barely noticed having been shaken to the core.

"Is it the right man Brooke?" Jenny asked carefully.

Tony's eyes met Jenny's sympathetic gaze as he glanced over Brooke's shoulder. The anger he had been feeling earlier was now steered toward the redhead. He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment then glanced down at Brooke as she nodded in answer to Jenny's question.

"It's him." Brooke whispered weakly. She then sighed as she slowly worked on her breathing. Ultimately she was relieved that she was able to identify the victim although she was still trembling.

Jenny sighed herself as she rose to her feet and watched Tony help Brooke stand. He supported his wife's light weight by wrapping an arm around her waist and letting her lean into him.

"DiNozzo, take her home. I think we can all agree Brooke could use some rest." Gibbs ordered as he entered Autopsy. Everyone turned to look at the graying man and instantly Jenny's full lips became tight and thin signaling that she was angry.

No one had realized that Gibbs had been watching the entire situation unfold from the hallway outside of autopsy. It wasn't until now that he entered knowing it would have been a distraction to do so any sooner.

"Special Agent Gibbs you are not authorized to make such a decision." Jenny hissed as she placed both hands on her hips.

"I am more than authorized when my daughter's mental health is a concern." Gibbs growled back as he glared at Jenny.

"I'll be fine Dad." Brooke sighed as she leaned against Tony with her breathing finally back to normal and her knees not nearly as weak.

Jenny turned to look at the young agent and shook her head as her maternal instincts kicked in. It always puzzled her, the fact that she even had them but it seemed when it came to Gibbs' child she was just as concerned as he was for her. "As much as it pains me to say this Brooke I think Gibbs is right."

The others in the room looked shocked at Jenny's words and she tried to ignore their reactions to the best of her ability.

"Look, with all due respect Director I think I'll be okay, we still have an investigation to continue." Brooke replied politely.

Tony was silent but he continued to stand by Brooke not trusting her judgment. He could sense that she needed to lie down even if she thought that she would be alright sometimes she pushed herself too much.

"I would advise you to go home and get some sleep my dear." Ducky chimed in showing his own concern.

Brooke gave in and sighed heavily straightening up to her full height she ran both hands through her hair and nodded. "Okay but only because I don't want to hear it if I don't leave." She dropped her arms to her sides then caught Gibbs staring at her. She half smiled before walking over and hugging him tightly.

Everyone else in the room looked at each other before muttering phrases on why they needed to leave autopsy. Jenny, Ziva, and Fornell left the room together to meet in her office. Ducky went to the back to find Palmer and Tony went to wait by the elevator for Brooke.

Gibbs held his daughter close for the first time in three years. It felt as though it had been a lifetime. Even now it seemed too good to be true, that any minute he was going to wake up to the farm report or his cell phone ringing. As he kissed the top of his daughter's head Gibbs realized just how much he had missed her.

"I missed you Dad." Brooke told him softly her voice partially muffled by his jacket. She breathed in the scents of coffee and sawdust deeply, it had been far too long since the last time. She had almost forgotten what it was like to be his little girl.

"I missed you too." Gibbs replied as he looked down at her. They both smiled at each other for a moment longer then he sighed. "I know about Shannon, I just saw her in Abby's lab."

Brooke bit her lip but didn't let go of Gibbs just yet. "Oh…are you mad?"

Gibbs immediately shook her head and began steering her toward the doors. "No, I could never stay mad at you especially not for something like this. I'm just glad you're both okay."

Brooke was relieved to hear this coming from Gibbs. She allowed him to kiss her cheek at the exit then smiled at him again.

"I'll keep an eye on Shannon here and bring her back home later…I'm sure you and DiNozzo have a lot to catch up on. The man has really missed you sweetheart." Gibbs told her.

Brooke sighed and nodded. "Thanks Dad…I missed him too, I've missed everyone. I'll see you later then." She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek in return then left autopsy.

Gibbs watched her walk through the automatic doors and toward Tony. As much as he hated it when they first got together he couldn't help but see how compatible they truly were. This was of course after he got over the initial shock of finding out they were dating.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Brooke approached Tony slowly unable to make eye contact with him after the way she reacted to seeing the man who made an attempt on her life three years ago. Tony said nothing as he turned to face the doors and hit the arrow on the wall to call the elevator.

Shortly after the elevator bell went off and the doors opened revealing the empty space inside. Tony stepped on first followed by his wife who was wearing a sheepish expression.

Tony pushed the button for the squad room floor needing a few things from his desk before they left headquarters. They both waited silently for the doors to close and the elevator to start moving. Tony counted to five in his head before flicking the emergency switch.

Brooke turned to him ready to ask what he was doing but before she could speak he was grabbing her by the waist and pushing her against the back wall.

A hand ran up her back and tangled into her long hair while the other took hold of the back of her left thigh and he wound her leg around his waist. Tony crushed his lips against hers in a passionate kiss and he closed his eyes as he held her to him.

Brooke's arms flew around his neck and she kissed him back hard. Three years was too long to be apart but so far, with the exception of Jeanne Benoit, they had both remained faithful to each other. Even if Tony had thought Brooke was deceased all this time it was difficult to be with another woman.

Neither Tony nor Brooke pulled away from each other when they both felt tears streaming down one another's cheeks. Somehow they both knew the tears were that of joy and posed no threat to their relationship.

Eventually they both ended the kiss at the same time when the need for air became too great to ignore. The couple panted as they looked into each other's eyes and Tony leaned his forehead against hers.

"I love you Brooke…I love you so much." Tony whispered in the dark.

Brooke broke into a smile and the tears continued to flow. She placed the palm of one hand to his cheek and wiped away a few tears with the tip of her thumb. "I love you too…I'm sorry Tony, I'm so sorry about all of this. I never meant to hurt you. I wanted to stay here and be with you but-"

Tony cut her off by initiating a second kiss. When he pulled back after she responded to it he wiped her tears away this time and continued to hold her in his arms. "I know it wasn't up to you."

Brooke sighed softly and stood on both legs then hugged him back burying her face in his neck. She nodded silently at his words grateful that he understood or was trying to at least.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"You mean you love Brooke as a sister McGee?" Kate wondered as the car was parked on the curb outside of Joann's lovely home.

"No…if that's what I meant it's what I would have said." McGee replied as he shut the car off and got out. Kate followed his lead toward the house a little puzzled by his words. She had thought for the longest time now that his heart belonged to Abby then again she didn't know any better.

Unsure of what to say Kate just remained completely silent as they both walked up the path to the house. As they approached they both noticed at the same time that the door was open just a crack. The closer they both got the more obvious it became that the lock had been tampered with.

The two agents quickly drew their weapons and McGee took a step forward pushing the door open as quietly as possible. Just as he and Kate crossed the threshold into the house a horrified scream came from the second floor.

McGee bolted up toward the stairs while Kate went to clear the first floor. The male agent checked every room until he found the source of the scream in the master bedroom.

Lying in a pool of blood was Joann Fielding and standing above her was a woman holding a SIG. McGee had never met her but she looked exactly like…

"Brooke?" McGee lowered his weapon and the brunette turned to look at him shaking her head with tears falling. Kate had made her way up the stairs by then and entered the room behind her partner keeping her gun raised.

"Who are you?" Kate asked the stranger. She couldn't believe herself how much she looked like Brooke although this woman appeared to be older by at least ten years.

"I'm-" She began.

"Special Agent Samantha Fielding, Brooke's aunt." McGee finished once he realized it was her. They had seen each other plenty of times.

"What agency?" Kate demanded.

Samantha looked from McGee to Kate and back. "NCIS." She reached down with her free hand and shifted her leather jacket aside to reveal a gold badge identical to Kate and McGee's on her hip.

"Where are you based?" Kate asked utterly confused by everything that was going on today.

"I don't think that's important right now, we have bigger things to worry about like my mother here." Samantha gestured to Joann's lifeless body on the floor. McGee could see that she was trembling and still crying as she holstered her SIG.

"Are you aware of what's going on at Headquarters right now?" Kate asked as she holstered her own weapon and reached for her cell phone.

"No…I haven't heard anything…my…um…my mom called me last night sounding strange. She told me that she wanted to see me as soon as possible, that she found out something but didn't want to tell me over the phone. She wanted me to meet her here for lunch and when I got here just before you did I found her like this." Samantha explained.

Kate sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "We need to call Gibbs." In her mind she was thinking that this mess was just continuing to pile up.

"Wait…what's going on at HQ?" Samantha asked as she ran a hand through her hair. So far the only difference in looks between her and Brooke was the length of their locks.

"Come outside and we'll explain everything as best we can." McGee told her.

Samantha wanted to resist but she knew the protocol. There was no way she could stay inside while the scene was processed. She simply nodded and allowed McGee to lead her outside. Kate followed them while she called Gibbs trying to figure out how to explain this one.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs barely had time to shut the door of Jenny's office after entering before his cell phone rang. The Director raised her eyebrow at him when he didn't answer and approached her desk instead.

"Aren't you going to answer that, it could be important."

Gibbs shook his head and sighed. "Whatever it is it can wait, we need to talk."

The phone in his pocket stopped ringing but immediately after the one on her desk began to go off. Jenny reached for it but kept her eyes on him.

"Don't go anywhere." She ordered. "Unlike you I might actually have to take this."

Gibbs simply took a seat across from the Director and waited in silence.

"Director Shepard." Jenny said into the mouth piece. She waited watching Gibbs and listened to Kate who explained that she had tried to call Gibbs and what was going on. "Stay there Agent Todd and do nothing until I send backup."

Gibbs removed his phone from his pocket and sighed when he saw that the missed call was from Kate. Jenny slammed the receiver done and got to her feet.

"You went around me and sent your team to continue the investigation?" She began with an intense glare in his direction.

Gibbs glared back at her in anger as he stood and advanced on her. "You're one to talk after everything you've been keeping from me. What did Kate want?"

"Don't even go there Jethro, it's not the same as this and you know it. You're crossing a serious line by going behind my back!" Jenny hissed.

"What did Agent Todd call for?" Gibbs asked again.

Jenny threw her hands into the air and moved around him feeling uncomfortable with how close he was getting to her. She turned back to face him again and sighed. At this point she might as well tell him and deal with the repercussions later.

"Todd and McGee arrived at Joann Fielding's home just a few minutes ago. What they found was Samantha there, standing over her mother's dead body." Jenny answered.

Gibbs froze as the words sank in. Without saying a word he rushed out of the office an she ran out after him. "Gibbs what are you doing?"

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs bellowed already halfway down the stairs by now just as he caught sight of Ton y and Brooke heading toward the elevator after leaving the bullpen.

Both DiNozzos turned around and Brooke looked worried at his expression. "Dad, what's wrong?" She looked over his shoulder at Jenny who was a step behind him then returned her gaze to meet her father's.

Gibbs sighed and continued down the rest of the stairs. He walked up to Brooke who was holding Tony's hand. "Brooke it's your grandmother…she's been murdered…"


	10. It's not over

**Author's note: ATTENTION fellow readers and writers. It has recently been brought to my attention that a certain user by the name of IndeMaat has been taking the works of others without permission and reposting them as a form of ridicule. I happen to be a victim of this particular person's actions. Since the person first started pestering me when I began this story I blocked them and changed my name. This did not seem to stop them from taking unnecessary actions against me. The writer in question seems to think it is appropriate to bash the creativity of others for lack of having their own. I urge you to take a look at their page and see to it that you are not a victim of the bullying. If you review the story in which my work was taken (WITHOUT PERMISSION) I strongly suggest you do so anonymously so you are not attacked in the way that I was. I am all for constructive critisim but what this person does is the complete opposite of that. **

**The story I am speaking of in which the other writer has taken my work and reposted it is titled 'NSIS' I have revised my own story quite a bit since I first wrote it. IndeMaat has taken the original version but it was still without my permission or even knowledge of the fact. I do not think it is ever appropriate to do such things. Our stories are called fiction for a reason, furthermore no one is perfect and mistakes will sometimes be made.**

* * *

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 10

It's not over

It wasn't supposed to happen like this, nobody else was supposed to get hurt especially not Joann, of all people. "No…" Brooke whispered in disbelief at the news she just heard about Shannon's mother. "You must be mistaken." She added as tears began to fall.

"It's been confirmed by Agents McGee and Todd…I'm sorry Brooke." Jenny told her sadly. "It's true."

Gibbs could see his daughter crumbling on the inside and he didn't know what to say. He and Joann never got along after Shannon and Kelly were killed or even before for that matter. However Brooke always remained close to the older woman against all odds.

"How did it happen?" Brooke's voice was barely audible over the sobs that were taking over. Tony stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

Jenny licked her lips and took a deep breath. "Single gunshot to the head…Special Agent Samantha Fielding was found at the scene with her weapon drawn. Until we know otherwise she's our number one suspect."

Brooke started shaking her head and glared at Jenny. "No, Sam would never...you know she's not capable of something like that!"

"It's been a long time since I've worked with her Brooke, for all I know Agent Fielding is capable of anything." Jenny replied sharply.

Even Gibbs was shocked by those words. He knew Jenny had never liked Samantha but that was a low blow. He respected the woman as his former sister in law and partner no matter what. Clearly Jenny always saw her as a threat.

"Brooke, get Shannon from Abby's lab and meet me in the parking lot. I'll drop you off at home on the way back here from picking up Samantha." Gibbs told her. He was no longer willing to stay put, as if he ever planned on following Jenny's orders to begin with.

Brooke collected herself and nodded as she left the bullpen and quickly made her way down the hall. Gibbs walked over to his desk where he holstered his weapon and shoved his badge into his pocket.

"Mind if I come along Boss?" Tony asked as he made sure he had what he needed.

"Well yeah DiNozzo, I didn't plan on leaving you behind." Gibbs chuckled and led the way to the elevator.

Tony gave Jenny a look much like the sour one he had given her in autopsy then he followed Gibbs to the elevator making it just in time. "Think she's going to can us Boss?" He asked after the doors closed.

Suddenly Gibbs' hand collided with the back of his agent's head. "Director Shepard is not going to fire us. We're the best she's got."

Jenny was too stunned to speak as she watched her agents deliberately go against everything she believed in. Every part of the agency protocol was being broken with every passing moment and it seemed that she was the only one who actually cared.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Brooke rushed into Abby's lab looking frantic and like she was on a mission. The Goth noticed tears which was never a good sign. Brooke always used to be the strong one before the unnecessary mess began.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Abby asked quickly.

Brooke pushed her hair out of her face with the use of one hand and took a minute to catch her breath. "Joann is dead, McGee and that other agent found her."

"Oh my god." Abby immediately pulled Brooke into a tight hug feeling sorry for her.

"It gets worse." Brooke told her after hugging Abby back and pulling away. "They think Samantha did it because she was there standing over Joann with her gun drawn."

"Then what the hell are you still doing here, why aren't you on your way there?" Abby asked.

"I came down here to get Shannon. We're all going to pick up Sam then Dad is going to drop me off at home with Shannon and Tony on the way back." Brooke explained.

Abby nodded in understanding. "Shannon is at my desk coloring."

Brooke forced a smile and dabbed at her eyes with her fingertips before walking into the other part of the lab and picking up her daughter.

"Say goodbye to Abby sweetie, you'll see her tomorrow." Brooke told Shannon softly. The little girl waved at Abby from over Brooke's shoulder as they left the lab together.

Abby laughed and waved back at the five year old. If she had known of the danger to come she would have hugged her tightly and kept her there.

Suddenly Abby remembered something as she heard the elevator bell and rushed to the door of her lab. "Brooke wait, what's John Doe's name?"

Luckily the doors to the elevator hadn't closed yet and Brooke sighed before answering the question. "Mathieu Benoit." She replied as she pushed the button for the lobby.

"That's what I was afraid of." Abby whispered as she went back to work.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Samantha sighed as she leaned against the front of the Charger that Kate and McGee had arrived in. McGee watched her shivering and somehow he just knew that it had less to do with the weather and more to do with the way she found her mother.

At the other end of the car Kate stood with McGee holding the weapon she confiscated from Samantha sealed in an evidence bag in her hand. She followed McGee's eyes to the other agent and sighed heavily.

Kate opened the trunk and placed the evidence bag into one of the bins they kept in the back to hold all that they gathered until it was brought to Abby. She then grabbed a blanket that was tucked away and handed it to McGee who looked confused.

"What's this for?" He asked her softly.

Kate nodded her head toward the front of the car silently and McGee chuckled to himself. "Right." McGee walked toward Samantha unfolding the blanket in the process. When he reached her he gently draped it around her shoulders.

"May I?" He asked softly indicating that he was interested in sitting beside her if she let him.

Samantha forced a weak smile and nodded. "Sure." She whispered.

McGee gave her a reassuring smile in return and sat next to her on the hood of the car. He stared at his feet searching for something to say to comfort her but he didn't know where to begin.

"So, what's happening at Headquarters?" Samantha wondered.

McGee was glad she was the one to break the ice. He looked up at her watching her seek refuge under the warmth of the blanket.

"Well it's pretty complicated but the short version is that Brooke is alive. We were called out to a crime scene earlier this morning and it turns out the victim was the man who killed her or in this case tried to. As it turns out it was safer for Tony if she stayed under the radar." McGee explained.

Samantha gave McGee a look of shock and opened her mouth to speak but before she had the chance to say anything a yellow and black 1970 Dodge Challenger pulled up. The muscle car screeched to a halt in front of the house.

Gibbs was the first to jump out of the vehicle and the second she saw him Samantha hopped off the front of the Charger and rushed forward colliding into his chest. Kate who had just closed the trunk watched the scene unfold with a pang of jealousy rising inside her.

Samantha threw her arms around Gibbs' neck and buried her face in his shirt while her entire body was still trembling. In return the lead agent wound his arms tightly around her waist closing his eyes as he whispered something into her ear that the others were unable to hear.

Brooke stepped out of the car next from the passenger side and Tony got out of the back holding his daughter in his arms. Kate couldn't help but smile at the sight of him with a child. Tony approached her with Shannon resting her head on his shoulder.

"Kate, this is my daughter." He said softly and proudly.

Kate noticed the redheaded child was asleep on her father's shoulder with her arms around his neck and legs dangling. "She's beautiful." Kate replied softly.

Tony smiled and rubbed Shannon's back as he rocked in place a little where he stood. "Yes, she is." He agreed.

Brooke took a deep breath as she shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and dragged herself over to McGee. Gibbs was still comforting Samantha, telling her that Ducky was on his way. Tony was chatting with Kate until they were told to process the scene.

The young brunette bit her lip as she looked from the ground to McGee who was avoiding eye contact at any cost. He looked at his feet to her knees, from her knees to the house, from the house to the Challenger where he focused his attention.

"Tim, please look at me." Brooke whispered when she stopped in front of him. There was barely a foot of space between them.

McGee took a shuddering breath as he choked up. All he could think about was how betrayed he felt by his best friend. The one person who understood him and the one he pined after for years. "I can't Brooke." He managed to tell her.

In an instant her hands were gently cupping his face and forcing him to look at her. Brooke's bright blue eyes bore into his earthy green orbs and in that moment McGee lost all control of his actions. Before he knew what he was doing he was on his feet pulling her against him and pressing his lips to hers.


	11. Silence is Louder

**Author's note: I know this chapter is a little short but stay with me readers. The drama is soon to continue. In the next few chapters I intend to make this story pretty intense.**

* * *

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 11

Silence is louder

McGee winced as Kate gently placed the ice pack over his eye where an intense bruise had already begun to form. Shortly after he kissed Brooke she had slapped him out of shock and not a second later Tony had taken a rough swing after handing Shannon off to Kate and knocked him to the ground. McGee fought back though since Tony hadn't intended on stopping there until Gibbs broke it up.

Sometime in the middle of the violent exchange between the three of them Paula Cassidy had shown up followed by Ducky and Palmer. Cassidy had been ordered by Jenny to immediately take the case since Paula was part of the new NCIS internal affairs unit that began after Renee Benoit's murder.

Kate sighed softly as she sat with McGee in the break room back at headquarters. Samantha was to be interrogated as a suspect and the silver haired leader refused to let her go through the trauma alone. It was bad enough she found Joann the way she did.

Tony and Brooke went home from the crime scene bringing Shannon with them. Gibbs had ordered them to get some rest. If they were able to that is and it was starting to get late anyway.

"What were you thinking kissing DiNozzo's wife Tim?" Kate wondered while trying not to sound judgmental.

"If you don't mind Kate I'd rather not talk about it right now." McGee replied flatly.

"Alright, I can understand that but keep in mind that they are going to want to know why you did it too." She advised him softly.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Samantha paced back and forth in the interrogation room. All she could do was bite her nails and run her fingers through her hair. The sight of her in this state was torture to Gibbs who was watching from the other side of the glass. Not a moment too soon Paula entered observation with a case file in her hand followed closely by the Director.

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Jenny shook her head. "This isn't up for debate Jethro." She told him. "One word and I'm kicking you out of here." The redhead warned.

Gibbs glared at her for a moment as he took in a deep breath. "If I can't interrogate her myself at least let me in there to comfort her." He growled.

"Agent Gibbs, you know we can't allow that. Samantha gets distracted every time you're around and we need answers." Paula replied stubbornly.

Gibbs turned ready to verbally strike back but Jenny spoke first. "Special Agent Cassidy you may begin with the interrogation. We'll be standing by."

The blonde nodded respectfully at the agency boss before tossing a look of disapproval at Gibbs on her way out of observation.

Jenny watched her leave then walk into interrogation a moment later. Gibbs stood becoming rigid as he saw Samantha move to sit down facing the mirror.

Paula Cassidy took a seat so she faced the other agent with her back to the glass. "Are you sure you don't want a lawyer Sam?" She began.

"Rule number thirteen, Agent Cassidy." Samantha answered with an exasperated sigh.

"Am I boring you Special Agent Fielding," Paula wondered coldly. "What's rule number thirteen?" She added.

"Never ever involve lawyers." Samantha clarified. Gibbs took on a smug expression in the observation room.

"Look, I just found my mother murdered and I've been here for hours. I just want to go home, get some rest, and make the proper arrangements." Samantha said as she leaned forward to rest her face in her hands.

"This won't take much longer if you cooperate, I shouldn't have to tell you that." Paula said.

"Let's get this over with then." Samantha sighed.

Paula nodded silently as she opened the file in front of her. She tilted it up slightly so all Samantha would be able to see was the NCIS logo printed on the front cover.

Gibbs sighed heavily from where he stood in observation. He couldn't and wouldn't take his eyes off of Samantha. She looked as tired as she sounded and her eyes were red from crying.

Jenny glanced over to find that his jaw was clenched and his hands had become fists at his sides. She didn't know what to say so she settled on remaining silent and turned her attention back to Samantha. Clearly Gibbs was still protective over her.

"Run me through your day." Paula politely ordered Samantha. They were investigating a murder with one of their own as the prime suspect but that didn't mean Samantha had to be treated entirely like a criminal. She knew all the tricks after all since she had been an agent for as long as Gibbs and an officer of the law for longer than that.

Samantha ran both hands through her hair the forced herself to relax a bit more. It was obvious that she was still shaken up but determined to clear her name.

"I woke up at 0500 like I do every morning." The brunette began.

Gibbs became less tense for another brief moment and smiled a bit to himself. He had always known his former partner to be an early riser, especially when he and Jenny worked with her on undercover missions overseas.

Paula made a note of this information she was given on the small notepad she had extracted from her back pocket along with a pen. The interrogation was being recorded but to keep from wasting time going back and forth on the tape she decided to write some things down. As she jotted what Samantha said into her notes she nodded at her to continue.

"I still had company over from the night before." Samantha added, her cheeks slowly turning pink as she spoke.

"What sort of company?" Paula asked.

"That's personal." Sam mumbled.

"I need to know." Paula pressed.

Samantha sighed heavily. "A friend with benefits okay? I'm too busy for a real relationship and one night stands require going out to find someone and I don't have time for that either." She said unpleasantly.

"What's your friend's name?" Paula questioned putting emphasis on the word 'friend'. She could actually relate to the situation so she couldn't exactly disagree with Samantha's choices.

"That's none of your business. I'm sure he isn't even involved." Samantha replied.

"I'll be the judge of that." Paula replied. "Tell me his name."

The room fell silent for awhile, Gibbs and Jenny could see that Samantha was hesitant about getting her 'friend' involved.

"Sam, I can't help you if you don't tell me and you know that." Paula reasoned.

Samantha bit her lip before finally deciding to spit it out. "Mathieu Benoit." She said quickly.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"You liked it didn't you?" Tony asked bitterly as he stretched out on one side of the California King sized bed. Brooke was perched on the edge of it holding ice wrapped in a dishtowel to his swollen lip.

"Watching you fight my best friend like that, of course not." Brooke replied as she made sure that Tony kept his right fist covered by the bag of frozen peas.

"I was talking about the kiss." Tony stared at her in a way that felt accusatory. Brooke wasn't sure whether to be angry or ultimate offended. As it turned out she was both.

"Don't be ridiculous Anthony. I couldn't be more disgusted with McGee right now if I tried." Brooke replied. "After all these years he decided now was the best time to do something like that. Besides you saw me slap him." She added with a shake of her head.

"Well I didn't exactly see you trying to put a stop to it, McGee pulled back first." Tony growled out of jealousy.

Brooke couldn't understand why Tony seemed to be insisting that the kiss was not only one sided. "I didn't exactly kiss him back either."

Tony grabbed hold of his wife's wrist moving her hand away from his mouth. "Don't lie to me Brooke, do you love him?"

This was the last conversation Brooke ever wanted to have especially after everything that was going on. All she really wanted to do was curl up with her husband and fall asleep in the safety of his arms.

"No, of course I don't, not in that way at least. I love him the same way I love Abby and Ducky, as family." Brooke answered. "You're the only man I'll ever truly love."

Tony was silent for a long time as he looked into her eyes and processed everything she had to say. Finally after a few minutes he released her hand and sat up in their bed gently pushing her onto her back.

"Shannon is asleep in her room right?"

Brooke nodded as Tony positioned himself above her. "She's out like a light."

Tony flashed a grin at his wife as he leaned in closer. "Good." He mumbled against her lips before kissing her as best he could considering McGee had thrown a punch to his mouth earlier.


	12. Family affairs

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 12

Family affairs

Abby rushed into the squad room just in time to catch Kate and McGee returning to their desks. "What happened to you?" She asked McGee noticing the black eye before she could say why she was upstairs. She couldn't help feeling concerned even after their disagreement earlier.

"Long story Abs, what do you need?" Kate spoke for her colleague. McGee sent an appreciative glance her way then turned his attention back to Abby.

Abby stared at McGee for a minute longer then sighed as she looked to Kate. "I have information about the case, where is Gibbs?"

"Observation with the Director, Paula Cassidy is interrogating Samantha." Kate told her.

Abby nodded. "Come with me, you guys should hear this too." Without waiting for them to follow or even speak she headed for the elevator.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Tell me about your relationship with your mother." Paula requested sharply while still remaining polite. She wanted answers but most of all she wanted Samantha to be innocent.

Samantha sighed heavily, frustrated with the game. "How much longer are we going to do this Cassidy? My mother's killer is out there somewhere and you're wasting time in here with me."

"Sam, I shouldn't have to explain to you why you're the prime suspect." Paula told her gently.

"I know why I'm a suspect Paula but you don't have any proof that I killed my own mother." Sam growled. She just wanted to go home or better yet to wake up and find that this has been a terrible nightmare except for the part about Brooke and Shannon being alive.

"Well she's certainly right about that." Abby entered observation just in time to hear what Samantha had to say. Kate and McGee were right behind her.

Jenny and Gibbs turned to the scientist both wearing curious expressions. "What do you have for me Abby?" Jenny asked gently.

"Sam didn't do it, I'm sure of it. First of all her SIG wasn't fired recently enough. The bullet that killed Joann came from a different gun." Abby told the room.

"What else do you have Abs?" Gibbs demanded. He was mostly relieved to hear that Samantha's gun wasn't the weapon that killed Joann but that didn't necessarily mean she was innocent.

"A few things," Abby began again. "Before Brooke left she gave me a name for our John Doe."

"And?" Gibbs and Jenny spoke together even though the latter already knew who it was but had not given any evidence of this. She really did not want anyone connecting her to all of this.

Kate and McGee shared a glance behind Abby before focusing on her once more to hear the answer. They were both just as eager to find out the truth.

"It's Mathieu Benoit, Joann's clothes that Ducky sent up to me for analysis had traces of a few compounds which mixed together accurately create a poison. Based on what I found she was definitely the one trying to kill him. As we already know he died from something completely different. The poison didn't kill him but it was going to if his heart didn't give out first." Abby explained.

Meanwhile Jenny looked uneasy but for the time being no one seemed to notice. In her mind she was wondering if any of this would have happened if it wasn't for her. "Is that all you have Abby?" She managed to ask when she found her voice.

"No, at the crime scene there were traces of blood on the doorknob leading into the house. My guess is the killer accidently slipped when picking the lock or something and cut themselves with their tools. In addition to that Ducky found tears on Joann's skin but not all of them were hers. When you cry and tears roll down your cheeks skin cells are often picked up-"

"Abby!" Gibbs barked. The fact that Abby had said the man down in autopsy shared the same last name as Jenny's enemy did not go unnoticed to him. He just chose to wait until he and Jenny were alone to discuss it.

"Right, anyway I ran some DNA tests on the blood and tears and came up with a positive match." Abby finished.

"Who was it?" Everyone else in the room asked quickly. Abby's suspense building speech made them impatient by now.

"Jeanne Benoit." Abby blurted out.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Brooke smiled as Tony kissed her nose causing it to wrinkle slightly as it often did when she laughed harder than usual or smiled a real smile. The sight was both adorable to him and amusing making him chuckle in response.

Tony went on to kiss the dimples in her cheeks delicately then expertly moved his lips along her neck. This made her erupt in a small fit of giggles and in reaction to that Tony felt his heart swell.

Brooke gently ran her fingers through the short hair along the back of his neck. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were looking to go another round." She teased.

Tony paused in the middle of kissing her neck to meet her eyes. "Forgive me if I want to remind you what you've been missing." He jabbed playfully adding a wink to go along with his smirk.

Brooke laughed once more and after calming down she released a sigh of content while looking into his eyes. They were both silent while they memorized each other all over again. She brought a hand up to rest against his cheek running the tip of her thumb along his lower lip.

Tony couldn't stop the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth from forming. The Italian carefully shifted his weight off his wife and switched his position so he was lying down facing her on his side.

Brooke went to move her body closer but he rolled away. "Where are you going?" She pouted instantly missing the warmth of his body.

"I have something for you." Tony answered as he sat up at the edge of the bed and slipped his boxers back on.

Brooke sat up in the center of the mattress pulling the sheets up to cover her breasts. She watched Tony stroll over to his dresser and pull open the top drawer. As he reached into it she saw something in the corner of her eye.

"Tony…" Brooke's voice was shaking as she said his name. Being held at gunpoint completely caught off guard had that effect on her.

The tone she used to capture his attention made Tony wonder what was wrong. However before he had the chance to move a muscle the barrel of a gun came into his line of vision.

"Hands up." A cold voice ordered him, a female voice. One that he knew but never thought he'd get the chance to hear again.

Deciding it was best to just do what Jeanne told him to for Brooke's sake and his own Tony instantly raised both hands out of the drawer. In one of them he was clutching a small velvet box one that Brooke recognized from the bed as the box he had when he proposed.

"Who are you?" She demanded wanting to know the woman who was holding a gun to her husband and if her daughter was safe.

"Shut her up." Jeanne ordered someone that Tony couldn't see.

"No don't!" Tony whipped around quickly hoping to stop it from happening but just as soon as he moved the man with Jeanne slammed a thick glass bowl into the side of Brooke's skull.

A tiny gasp escaped his wife before the sickening crack. Tony could only identify the item she was whacked with as something from their living room. It was a square glass bowl that was at least an inch thick perhaps more.

Tony didn't care about what it was that harmed Brooke as much as the damage that might have been caused by it. He went to run to her but thought better of it when he heard the clicking of Jeanne's gun as she took the safety off.

Tony could only watch as Brooke was wrapped up in their sheets. He couldn't help noticing a bit of blood on her pillow as she was lifted. "What are you doing?" He shouted but received no answer.

A limp Brooke was carried out of the room by Jeanne's henchman. He knew he had never seen the burly guy before but he intended to find out who he was when this was over.

Seconds after Brooke was out of the room a terrified scream that could only have come from a child pierced his ears.

"SHANNON!"

"DADDY HELP!"

Tony went to do just that but before he could even take a step he was hit in the back of the head with something hard.


	13. The Heart of the Matter

NCIS

Let there be blood

Chapter 13

The Heart of the Matter

Gibbs' gut was churning as he looked from Abby to the Director with an ice cold stare. "This is your fault!" He seethed. It was only an accusation but he just knew it was the truth having connected the dots leading from one Benoit to the other.

It was easy to see, especially now, that Jenny hadn't only involved Tony in her attempt to get at The Frog but she used Brooke as well. Gibbs didn't know which was worse, the fact that it all happened right under his nose or that Jenny continued after all that went wrong with Brooke's mission.

Jenny was silent her throat constricting as she stared back at Gibbs with fire in her eyes. "This is not up for discussion Jethro."

Gibbs responded by slamming his hand against the glass causing Samantha to look up and Paula to turn in her seat. Even though there was no chance of seeing through the glass unless the light was turned on in observation she still looked.

"Director?" Paula spoke wondering if the interrogation was over for reasons she did not yet know about. If that was the case though she would have thought Jenny would go in to tell her or at least use the intercom to interrupt.

On the other side Gibbs and Jenny glared at each other leaving Abby, Kate, and McGee to look at each other in surprise. Abby bit her lip as she slipped out of the observation room. A moment later she was in the interrogation room telling Paula and Samantha what she had just revealed to the others.

Kate and McGee muttered something about contacting Brooke or Tony and looking into Jeanne Benoit's whereabouts. Gibbs heard them but barely registered what they had to say.

Gibbs looked over Jenny's shoulder at the technician sitting in the corner and nodded in the direction of the door. "Go take a break." The technician stood and exited the room quickly and after the door shut behind him Gibbs advanced on Jenny.

"I should report you to SecNav for misconduct, how dare you use my team, my family for personal gain like this. You kissed ass to get your way to the top and instead of using your resources or going after The Frog yourself you put others at risk. What do you have to say about that?" Gibbs couldn't seem to get a grip on his anger but right now he didn't care.

"This is none of your concern Jethro." Jenny replied coldly. Inside she was terrified of what Gibbs might do but on the outside she appeared unfazed. This only further pissed him off.

"Like hell it isn't," Gibbs yelled. "My daughter's life was ruined because of your selfish behavior. Tony missed out on three years of his child's life and was led to believe she and his wife were dead. On top of that you just had to bring him into this sick game of cat and mouse. Apparently hurting Brooke and Shannon wasn't enough for you. What is it you have against my family that you had to bring them into this? Why couldn't you just do this on your own Jen?" This time as he spoke Gibbs sounded hurt and ultimately betrayed.

Jenny's bottom lip quivered as she was unable to continue pretending she wasn't intimidated. "I'm sorry Jethro…I have nothing against you or the team. I was just blinded by revenge." She was barely audible as she spoke but Gibbs was able to hear it all.

"You're so damaged." Gibbs mumbled. He turned and walked out of the room leaving Jenny there feeling more alone than ever before.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

McGee sighed heavily as he lowered his receiver back into the cradle after attempting to reach Brooke and Tony for the third time. The first call was to their home phone and one each to their cells. Each time there was no answer and the calls went to voicemail.

Kate wasn't having much luck either when it came to tracking down Jeanne Benoit. The agent looked from every angle she could and ended up with the same result each time. The search results kept telling Kate that Jeanne was somewhere in Africa even though they knew better.

"I can't get through to them Kate." McGee announced. He was beginning to worry that something was wrong.

"Well can you blame them for not answering after what you did?" Kate replied with a question. It sounded harsher than she intended but McGee knew she had a point.

"No, I can't say that I do. I wouldn't want to talk to me either." McGee sighed sadly. "Do you want to trade with me?" He added.

"Sure, just forward me Brooke's cell phone number and I'll get right to it."

McGee nodded and forwarded Brooke's number to Kate via text message. Once he hit send he got to work on tracking Jeanne Benoit's movements while Kate made the calls.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

As Gibbs was closing the door to observation behind him, with Jenny still inside and trying to pull herself together, Samantha stepped out of interrogation with Paula following closely behind.

The former partners, Gibbs and Samantha, locked eyes with each other. From what he could see she had received the news and was not taking the situation lightly. Paula watched Gibbs approach Samantha who quickly looked at the floor as fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Is the Director still inside observation?" Paula wondered. Gibbs nodded in response without looking away from Sam. To give them privacy in the corridor the other female ducked into observation.

Gibbs took another step toward Samantha and gently gripped her shoulders. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly although he knew what her answer would be.

Jeanne Benoit and Samantha Fielding had attended the same college and became best friends almost right away. Up until Tony's mission to get close to Jeanne failed they were as close as sisters. Throughout their college careers they shared dorm rooms and apartments. Now Samantha was just finding out that her mother was murdered by someone she trusted.

Samantha shook her head slowly and forced herself to look up at Gibbs. The team leader carefully tucked a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear. He then proceeded to wipe away a few of her tears with his thumb.

"How could my mother get involved with something like this? Joann is not a killer Jethro…Abby…Abby said that Brooke identified Mathieu as her attacker and that…that my mother killed him and because of that she's dead now too." Samantha began sobbing about halfway through.

Gibbs took a deep breath and just pulled her to him holding her close to console her. Normally he hated being put in the position of comforting a hysterical woman. However when it came to Samantha he didn't mind letting her release her emotions in front of him.

"I don't have all the answers Sam but if you ask me Joann was just doing what I did." Gibbs replied softly as he stroked her hair in an effort to calm her.

Samantha had buried her face in his shirt but glanced up at him again after he spoke. She was the only one who knew what Gibbs did to Hernandez, the man who killed his wife and daughter, her sister and niece.

"I guess we'll never know why she did it but it's the only reason I'm willing to agree on. I just can't believe Jeanne would hurt my mother. She had always said Joann was like a second mother to her. I would never have the strength to harm Helen." Samantha brought a hand up to dry her face while speaking.

"We'll figure out where Jeanne is Sam and I promise you will get the chance to speak with her once we bring her in. McGee and Kate are working on tracking her down now." Gibbs reassured her. "Everything will be okay." At least that was what he was hoping for.

They both fell silent after that and for the time being Samantha's tears had slowed down considerably. She hated to show so much emotion but in this case she couldn't exactly hold it in. The female agent never wanted to appear weak but on some level she knew Gibbs understood and didn't see her that way.

Out of nowhere Gibbs' cell phone rang from where it was clipped to his belt. He grunted at the interruption and released the hold he had on Samantha. After unclipping the device from his belt Gibbs flipped open the phone and answered in his usual way.

"Yeah, Gibbs." Using his free hand he cupped Samantha's cheek and gently removed a tear that she had missed from her skin.

"Boss we have a problem." McGee stuttered on the other end of the line.


End file.
